Bree is growing up very fast. She no longer needs her highchair. It has been packed away. Her mum is not sure of what to do with the beloved highchair. She seemed to want to keep everything used by her precious little girl. Bree didn’t seem to miss her highchair. To her, she probably thinks that she is ready for the next thing to try.
Replacing the highchair is the Tripp-Trapp chair that has been sitting in the spare room gathering dust. The Tripp-Trapp chair was bought first but Bree’s mum didn’t think that the then 2/3 month old Bree was comfortable sitting in it. So it was prematurely and temporarily retired until now. Bree’s mum loved the old Prima Papa. I love the Prima Papa. Almost every family that I worked for had one. Bree was placed in it long before she started to eat solids. Her mum used to strap her in it while feeding her milk. (As a nanny, I recommend that bottle fed babies be held close to the carer when being fed.) Some people like the idea of their offspring gaining independence ASAP by reducing human contact.
Bree’s dad took away the safety bar on the Tripp-Trapp and adjusted seat height and foot rest so that his little daughter can sit comfortably at the dining table for family meals on the weekend. Bree will be able to get on her seat independently pretty soon. The old highchair can also be adjusted as well but the newer models of this particular highchair have a safety pole at the edge of the seat to prevent a baby from slipping. We all agreed that this particular feature might make it harder for Bree to get on and off by herself. Her clothes might get caught causing her to fall over if she is wearing a dress or a skirt.
Bree does not eat with her parents on most weekdays. (Some children I have looked after in the past hardly ever ate with their parents at all.) On the days that I look after her, she takes her meals at her own little table and chair. Come to think of it, she has not used the old highchair in my presence for quite sometime.
I always have my lunch with her by dragging a dining chair to her table. She enjoys my company. These days, she drags the dining chair across to her little table for me. LOL. Bree’s mum told me that she only started to do the same after seeing what I did. Sharing meals together, especially dinners, is a good time for adults to encourage conversation with the little ones. Sometimes people complain about the lack of verbal input and output from their children but never did they realise the importance of encouraging communication from a young age.
Friday, 26 October 2007
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Reject Shop Is Back In The CBD!
Guess what? There is now a Reject Shop in the CBD again! It used to be in the basement, underneath the new Supre store. The old Reject Shop closed quite suddenly when the store above it also closed down to make way for Supre. I mourned the loss of the old Reject Shop. I went to check out David Jones’ Christmas shop today. When I emerged on Bourke St to walk to QV, I walked past the Centrepoint Arcade where Priceline, Rebel Sports, Pumpkin Patch, Adidas and another store specialising in apparel for surfing dudes are. There used to be a Hungry Jacks in the basement along with the popular Pancake Parlour. It was at the entrance of this arcade that I saw the sign for the new Reject Shop. I actually froze for a few seconds staring at the sign. I just couldn’t believe that it is back. When the old one closed down, I assumed that they thought that there weren’t any cheapos like me in the CBD even though the old store always had many customers. Boy am I glad that they are back!
What is so special about Reject Shop? Working as a nanny, I do not make as much money as many other Australians. I love shopping but I have to be thrifty and I have to shop around for bargains. For instance, I love nice wrapping paper and greeting cards produced by companies like Hallmark. Unfortunately, they will add considerably to the cost of any gift if I buy them. So instead of buying cards and wrapping paper with fancy brands, I duck into the Reject Shop to buy budget versions that can be just quite as cute or appealing. Reject Shop has been my source for cards and wrapping paper for years. When the old store closed down, I started to wrapped pressies in basic brown paper. When I checked out the new store on Sunday, the first things I went looking for were the cards and wrapping paper. They were there of course. And just like David Jones, Reject Shop had also brought out all their Christmas stuff. I buy Christmas theme wrapping paper from Reject Shop almost every year. I like the UK-made rolls. Buying longer length rolls not only saves $ but leftovers can be used again for the following Christmas.
I love the new Reject Shop in the city. It is clean. Although it is located just across the street from the old one, it is a better location because there are other stores that I like in the same arcade. I can shop for my toiletries in Priceline, on the first floor and then take the escalators down to the basement to get to the Reject Shop. If I feel like something sweet, I can pop into the Pancake Parlour, located right next door. There used to be 3 Reject Shops in the city, in the 90’s. Today, there is only one. I hope it will be there for a while yet. After the old one closed down, the nearest one to me was the one in Highpoint. Even that was close for a while due to renovations.
What is so special about Reject Shop? Working as a nanny, I do not make as much money as many other Australians. I love shopping but I have to be thrifty and I have to shop around for bargains. For instance, I love nice wrapping paper and greeting cards produced by companies like Hallmark. Unfortunately, they will add considerably to the cost of any gift if I buy them. So instead of buying cards and wrapping paper with fancy brands, I duck into the Reject Shop to buy budget versions that can be just quite as cute or appealing. Reject Shop has been my source for cards and wrapping paper for years. When the old store closed down, I started to wrapped pressies in basic brown paper. When I checked out the new store on Sunday, the first things I went looking for were the cards and wrapping paper. They were there of course. And just like David Jones, Reject Shop had also brought out all their Christmas stuff. I buy Christmas theme wrapping paper from Reject Shop almost every year. I like the UK-made rolls. Buying longer length rolls not only saves $ but leftovers can be used again for the following Christmas.
I love the new Reject Shop in the city. It is clean. Although it is located just across the street from the old one, it is a better location because there are other stores that I like in the same arcade. I can shop for my toiletries in Priceline, on the first floor and then take the escalators down to the basement to get to the Reject Shop. If I feel like something sweet, I can pop into the Pancake Parlour, located right next door. There used to be 3 Reject Shops in the city, in the 90’s. Today, there is only one. I hope it will be there for a while yet. After the old one closed down, the nearest one to me was the one in Highpoint. Even that was close for a while due to renovations.
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Bean Bag Activity @ The Big Park
While surfing the net a few years back, I came across a couple of fun bean bag activity sets made by a famous American company. Knowing that it is likely to cost a fortune to have just them shipped over here, I set out to make a version of my own. (Shipping might have been cheaper if I bought other stuff as well.) It was only after I made the first one that I realised that it was already available here in Australia. It has an Aussie price tag of $49.90. My version was lovingly made by me using washable materials like calico and drill or canvas in primary colours. The whole thing cost me less than $15 to make.
Stella and I took it with us to the big park on Thursday to meet up with Lachlan and his nanny. The children had fun playing with it. They took turns throwing their bean bag, aiming at particular items (numbers, shapes and colours) on the mat. They got bored after a while and went away to play with the playground equipment. After having a drink, they came asking for the bean bag activity again. I had it set up very quickly and this time they attracted the interest of another child. The boy’s mother let him play with Lachlan and Stella. They are all about the same age. The boy’s mum eventually popped the question, asking where she can purchase this toy. Before I opened my mouth, Lachlan’s nanny blurted out that I made it. The boy’s mum looked quite surprised. I then told her that she could buy a similar product from a toy store. She took down the details and then said that she didn’t know how to sew one herself. Another mum with a young toddler also came over to have a look. At this park, people are usually friendly but most mothers and nannies do not mingle. I am just glad that they found what I made interesting.
I wish to take a photo of the mat that I made but it is in the wash. It got trampled all over on Thursday. I think I will post it later. I am also intending to make another mat at the end of the year. The American company which sells this bean bag activity set also sells a second set featuring the alphabet. I think I will make a similar one with an added twist to promote phonemic awareness.
Stella and I took it with us to the big park on Thursday to meet up with Lachlan and his nanny. The children had fun playing with it. They took turns throwing their bean bag, aiming at particular items (numbers, shapes and colours) on the mat. They got bored after a while and went away to play with the playground equipment. After having a drink, they came asking for the bean bag activity again. I had it set up very quickly and this time they attracted the interest of another child. The boy’s mother let him play with Lachlan and Stella. They are all about the same age. The boy’s mum eventually popped the question, asking where she can purchase this toy. Before I opened my mouth, Lachlan’s nanny blurted out that I made it. The boy’s mum looked quite surprised. I then told her that she could buy a similar product from a toy store. She took down the details and then said that she didn’t know how to sew one herself. Another mum with a young toddler also came over to have a look. At this park, people are usually friendly but most mothers and nannies do not mingle. I am just glad that they found what I made interesting.
I wish to take a photo of the mat that I made but it is in the wash. It got trampled all over on Thursday. I think I will post it later. I am also intending to make another mat at the end of the year. The American company which sells this bean bag activity set also sells a second set featuring the alphabet. I think I will make a similar one with an added twist to promote phonemic awareness.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Drama Queen?
Bree has been an easy baby to look after. I really shouldn’t call her a baby anymore. She will turn two soon. Her mum has been reading up on what to expect when Bree becomes a toddler. She talked about her observations of the children of her friends and I can feel that she is bracing herself for the worst. I don’t share the same worries. In fact, I am pretty confident that Bree will not be a difficult toddler. There would have been signs of it by now if she is set to become a little terror. Being the first born/only child, Bree has had less exposure to undesirable behaviours and this may delay the emergence of those horrible tantrums. The intensity also depends on her personality and her relationship with the people close to her, and her immediate environment. So far, she has been a pretty content little person.
Bree’s mum told me about their weekend when I got to work on Monday. They took her to a friend’s birthday party on Saturday. Most of the children who attended the BBQ were under 6. Apparently Bree preferred to play on her own or watch the children from the side. She was very fascinated by the huge assortment of toys at the house. There was another toddler who was about a year older than Bree and she was the kind of toddler that Bree’s mum can’t tolerate. I was told that the toddler didn’t do as she was told and would wail and scream at any little thing that didn’t go her way. Bree’s mum told me that she is reading and learning as quickly as possible about toddlers because she fears that Bree might turn out like that as well. I do not know the other child and it is not fair for me to comment on her behaviours. There could be a number of reasons as to why she carried on the way she did at the party.
Bree’s mum then told me what happened on Sunday. While having a conversation with Bree’s dad, she was also watching Bree playing nearby and observed the following animated episode starring Bree. Not realising that her mum was still watching her, Bree plonked herself down on the floor, kicked her legs about and then whined, “I don’t want to. I don’t want to. No!” Bree’s mum didn’t know what to make of it at first. Bree continued with her performance. She repeatedly said no, trying out different voices. Bree’s dad found this so amusing that he wanted to get his camera. When she turned around and saw both her parents watching her, she stood up smiling and did a little dance before walking to her dad to ask for a cuddle. Bree’s mum instantly thought that her precious little baby had turned into a rebel overnight. She said she searched her head thoroughly because the scene was familiar. Bree’s dad had more sense. He reminded her of the little girl at the party. So, it turned out that Bree was just re-enacting what she saw the day before. That actually made her mum more worried. She told me that Bree could be practising. I can understand why this caring mum is panicking. She is a first time mum and she may be feeling a lack of confidence in handling a kicking and screaming toddler. Many parents fears that they may loose control of their children.
In my opinion, Bree could be practising what she saw. I have seen this happening to another child as well. However, acting out something she saw does not necessary mean that Bree will start applying it in real life. I prefer to continue observing Bree and see that her immediate needs are met. By meeting her needs, showing her ways to communicate her feelings each day and develop skills to become more independent, we can lessen a toddler’s frustration. Being a toddler is a frustrating role. A toddler is not quite a small child, nor is she a baby. She yearns to be a child and yet she needs to be able to return to the safety of being a baby when she needs to. The sense of order is also very acute around this age and any unexpected changes (in the environment or daily routines) can affect the child’s tolerance tremendously. I have been requested to be firm with Bree even though she has not been misbehaving so far. The word ‘firm’ has a different meaning to different people. I certainly do not wish to start punishing the child for minor reasons or introduce a naughty chair/corner. That is just not my style! It is better to encourage the child to experiment and to learn to cooperate through various activities in a safe and secure setting, and to continue demonstrating and modelling appropriate behaviours. I truly believe that the child will reciprocate the same if we treat her with respect and care. This does not mean that I will ignore bad behaviours and let Bree get away with murder. There really is no issue at the moment. With my fingers crossed, I dare to say that not all children go through a stormy toddlerhood. All I want now is to maintain the bond and trust we have developed between us.
Bree’s mum told me about their weekend when I got to work on Monday. They took her to a friend’s birthday party on Saturday. Most of the children who attended the BBQ were under 6. Apparently Bree preferred to play on her own or watch the children from the side. She was very fascinated by the huge assortment of toys at the house. There was another toddler who was about a year older than Bree and she was the kind of toddler that Bree’s mum can’t tolerate. I was told that the toddler didn’t do as she was told and would wail and scream at any little thing that didn’t go her way. Bree’s mum told me that she is reading and learning as quickly as possible about toddlers because she fears that Bree might turn out like that as well. I do not know the other child and it is not fair for me to comment on her behaviours. There could be a number of reasons as to why she carried on the way she did at the party.
Bree’s mum then told me what happened on Sunday. While having a conversation with Bree’s dad, she was also watching Bree playing nearby and observed the following animated episode starring Bree. Not realising that her mum was still watching her, Bree plonked herself down on the floor, kicked her legs about and then whined, “I don’t want to. I don’t want to. No!” Bree’s mum didn’t know what to make of it at first. Bree continued with her performance. She repeatedly said no, trying out different voices. Bree’s dad found this so amusing that he wanted to get his camera. When she turned around and saw both her parents watching her, she stood up smiling and did a little dance before walking to her dad to ask for a cuddle. Bree’s mum instantly thought that her precious little baby had turned into a rebel overnight. She said she searched her head thoroughly because the scene was familiar. Bree’s dad had more sense. He reminded her of the little girl at the party. So, it turned out that Bree was just re-enacting what she saw the day before. That actually made her mum more worried. She told me that Bree could be practising. I can understand why this caring mum is panicking. She is a first time mum and she may be feeling a lack of confidence in handling a kicking and screaming toddler. Many parents fears that they may loose control of their children.
In my opinion, Bree could be practising what she saw. I have seen this happening to another child as well. However, acting out something she saw does not necessary mean that Bree will start applying it in real life. I prefer to continue observing Bree and see that her immediate needs are met. By meeting her needs, showing her ways to communicate her feelings each day and develop skills to become more independent, we can lessen a toddler’s frustration. Being a toddler is a frustrating role. A toddler is not quite a small child, nor is she a baby. She yearns to be a child and yet she needs to be able to return to the safety of being a baby when she needs to. The sense of order is also very acute around this age and any unexpected changes (in the environment or daily routines) can affect the child’s tolerance tremendously. I have been requested to be firm with Bree even though she has not been misbehaving so far. The word ‘firm’ has a different meaning to different people. I certainly do not wish to start punishing the child for minor reasons or introduce a naughty chair/corner. That is just not my style! It is better to encourage the child to experiment and to learn to cooperate through various activities in a safe and secure setting, and to continue demonstrating and modelling appropriate behaviours. I truly believe that the child will reciprocate the same if we treat her with respect and care. This does not mean that I will ignore bad behaviours and let Bree get away with murder. There really is no issue at the moment. With my fingers crossed, I dare to say that not all children go through a stormy toddlerhood. All I want now is to maintain the bond and trust we have developed between us.
Discount Online Shopping
This nanny loves to shop. There is no doubt about that. With a smaller income than most people, I have to shop around for bargains. Online shopping can be quite a bargain if you know where to look. And from past experience, I learn that we Aussies can beat the exorbitant postage when buying stuff from overseas by combining our purchases to create a bigger order. Many companies offer savings on postage for bigger orders. Luckily, I also have accommodating relatives overseas to receive packages for me because some companies offer free local postage/delivery.
I have been invited to a baby shower and with Christmas coming up, I am itching to get something from GAP for myself as well. Someone from the US also spoke highly of a store called the Oriental Trading Company and I am keen to get a few things from them. They have arts & crafts items that are not available here. They also have other Teacher’s Resources. According to the couponchief.com, one of the Oriental Trading Company coupon is an offer of free shipping for orders over $60.00. (This offer expires on Oct 18th) I am pretty sure that this is referring to local shipping within USA. There are also deals for shopping at Gap online store. There is a Gap coupon for Free Shipping for purchase above $50.00 if the items are paid for with a Gap Card. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Gap Card. If shopping for children for this Christmas, check out also the deals from couponchief.com for kbtoys.com. This toy store is jam packed with stuff for fans of licensed characters. People looking for these type of toys will love the KBToys coupons. They also have other toys and baby gear. I like visiting kbtoys.com to see what is available. There are things available in the US that we can’t get here in Australia. This is true too for things in Japan. There are heaps of things made for the Japanese market that are never going to make their way to Melbourne.
Some people are content with what is available locally. I tend to like to see what is available outside my zone. I have bought things from overseas and the experience has been great so far. Sometimes I prefer the online service than what I receive in real shops. I have to say that online shopping has made it easy for many people who do not jet around the world every time they wanted to buy something.
online shopping
I have been invited to a baby shower and with Christmas coming up, I am itching to get something from GAP for myself as well. Someone from the US also spoke highly of a store called the Oriental Trading Company and I am keen to get a few things from them. They have arts & crafts items that are not available here. They also have other Teacher’s Resources. According to the couponchief.com, one of the Oriental Trading Company coupon is an offer of free shipping for orders over $60.00. (This offer expires on Oct 18th) I am pretty sure that this is referring to local shipping within USA. There are also deals for shopping at Gap online store. There is a Gap coupon for Free Shipping for purchase above $50.00 if the items are paid for with a Gap Card. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Gap Card. If shopping for children for this Christmas, check out also the deals from couponchief.com for kbtoys.com. This toy store is jam packed with stuff for fans of licensed characters. People looking for these type of toys will love the KBToys coupons. They also have other toys and baby gear. I like visiting kbtoys.com to see what is available. There are things available in the US that we can’t get here in Australia. This is true too for things in Japan. There are heaps of things made for the Japanese market that are never going to make their way to Melbourne.
Some people are content with what is available locally. I tend to like to see what is available outside my zone. I have bought things from overseas and the experience has been great so far. Sometimes I prefer the online service than what I receive in real shops. I have to say that online shopping has made it easy for many people who do not jet around the world every time they wanted to buy something.
online shopping
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Who Is This Test Driver Again?
Here is a picture of the test driver that I mentioned earlier. Does anyone know his name? After this picture was taken, he zoomed down Lygon St in a Ferrari Formula 1 Racer. I am not a Ferrari fan but I took the pictures because I happened to be there on Lygon St that day. Just in case if anyone is interested, this nanny is a McLaren fan. Rookie Hamilton will make me a very happy nanny if he wins the next race. I have my fingers crossed. I really think it is time for McLaren to come first again.
Online Videos
I went to check out a favourite bookstore on Lygon St earlier this year. The day was steamy, threatening to rain. I noticed that many people were heading the same way I was going but it was not until I approached the corner of Lygon St and Faraday St that I realised that there was going to be some kind of event. I looked around to see what it was going to be and found out that the Ferraris were coming. I wasted no time to give the Good Samaritan a call and instructed him to bring my camera. Being another Formula 1 racing fan, he didn’t hesitate to drag himself out of bed at all. Together, we found a good spot to take footages of the Ferraris driving down Lygon St. The Formula 1 racer was driven by a test driver but I have forgotten his name. Later, we uploaded our best footage on YouTube.
That was my first attempt to upload videos online. Since then, I have been checking out YouTube to look for funny videos. People enjoy uploading footages of their children. I think these people are ‘brave’ to do that because once the footages are uploaded, no one can monitor who is accessing them. I, as a nanny will never upload any images or footages of my charges.
Reel SEO is an interesting website for those who are interested to learn about online videos. It is only a few months old. It has great tips and up to date information on how to optimize and market online video footages on search engines. This can improve and generate more traffic to the online videos and have them ranked. There are also heaps of links to other useful websites to boost the hobby of making online videos. Leon, my neighbour, is really into this type of things. He will certainly find the website interesting. Unlike us, I don’t think he is content to just simply upload a basic video footage. With his help, Winnie made beautiful video diaries of their little boy.
Video Search Marketing and Video SEO - ReelSEO.com
This is a Sponsored Post.
That was my first attempt to upload videos online. Since then, I have been checking out YouTube to look for funny videos. People enjoy uploading footages of their children. I think these people are ‘brave’ to do that because once the footages are uploaded, no one can monitor who is accessing them. I, as a nanny will never upload any images or footages of my charges.
Reel SEO is an interesting website for those who are interested to learn about online videos. It is only a few months old. It has great tips and up to date information on how to optimize and market online video footages on search engines. This can improve and generate more traffic to the online videos and have them ranked. There are also heaps of links to other useful websites to boost the hobby of making online videos. Leon, my neighbour, is really into this type of things. He will certainly find the website interesting. Unlike us, I don’t think he is content to just simply upload a basic video footage. With his help, Winnie made beautiful video diaries of their little boy.
Video Search Marketing and Video SEO - ReelSEO.com
This is a Sponsored Post.
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