Little Teether Teething Blog

Respect the Rituals

Respect the Rituals

When I was in undergraduate at Arizona State, I took this course called Ritual, Symbol, and Myth. I am pretty sure they still offer it, REL 207, for anyone interested. The professor of the class was a brilliant young professor out of Princeton. It was a great class because the professor, Dr. Jason Bruner, was an incredible storyteller. The class was at 1:30pm in the afternoon so everyone arrived to class rather jovial and with full bellies. There were conversations encompassing all imaginable religions and philosophies. Everyone was so understanding and open with one another as we shared our most personal religious stories, insights, opinions, experiences, disagreements, and objections.

Never once was there any hostility in the classroom. The craziest part is that nobody mentioned the surprising peacefulness of the room either. Nobody ever commented on how compassionate we, as a class, were able to discuss every religious philosophy and scientific theory under the sun and still have no open hostility toward one other. 

Looking back on that class experience, I feel grateful to have been a part of such awesome conversations about the unknowns of the universe. I truly enjoyed hearing about the religious experiences of every single one of my classmates; even though many of their religious experiences were different from my own. The commonality we continually found in class was that our of religious experiences all involved traditions and rituals; many which were performed annually, monthly, weekly, or daily with of our closest friends and family members at specific times of the day.

 

Getting a big group of your friends and family together is a holiday in itself. Whenever you ritualistically bring groups of people together, a tradition forms! Traditions can be as simple as gathering a group of people together in the same place, or they can involve games, activities, food, music, sports, clothing, etc. 

My professor, Dr. Bruner, spent a lot of time discussing the importance of the ritualistic element in all traditions. He used the story of a baseball player to describe how a ritual can be used, as what we would consider a 'modern psychological tool', for personal performance enhancement.        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what are rituals? Rituals are something help you satisfy your innate desire for routine. They also help you enjoy the positive experiences in life when you feel anxious, overwhelmed, sad, and frazzled. When a batter stands up to the mound, he is surrounded by tens of thousands of people that are cheering and booing all at the same time. The energy is electric, and even the best batters can get unnerved by these situations; especially if the game is close.

Thats why many baseball players develop rituals. Do they work? Well, fortunately it doesn't matter if rituals work on a 'super-natural, mystical, religious' level. Because scientists have shown that going through a set, repeated, process [a ritual] can make difficult and unnerving activities more pleasurable. Read, Rituals Enhance Consumption, a University of Minnesota and Harvard publication for data sets and detailed experiment methods.

An article written by Tom Singer from MLB.com titled, Rituals, Superstitions Help Players Feel at Ease, highlights the importance of ritual in major league baseball, which translates to being important in everyday life because [baseball = life] according to most Americans.

Singer writes,

"Baseball has always elevated that trust in routine and order to an art form. Superstitions (rituals) are as old as the hook slide, from minor tics to major regimens. They have a natural place in an everyday sport (we say life), offering a steady platform as the cities and the months swoosh by."

Singer also quotes Bob Melvin in this article, the former Diamondbacks skipper now with the Oakland A's, 

"Superstitions (rituals) for me are just a way to occupy my mind and try to stay consistent when you're doing something right," Melvin explained. "It's all about staying on a routine when you're doing well to try and continue that mind-set of doing well. You get on a little bit of a win streak and you notice something, and so you just try to keep it consistent."

Side note: At the culmination of the baseball ritual discussion the class then considered, 'If baseball players use rituals, and rituals are associated with religion, can baseball be considered a religious organization? And then is going to a game considered going to church?'
[Husbands rejoice everywhere...]


The holidays can be super hectic with all parties for work, gathering with friends, shopping for gifts, preparing yourself to spend time with family, throwing lavish and amazing parties, cooking yummy amazing food, etc. So thats why at Little Teether we want you to bounce back from all the holiday craziness by developing your own rituals this year. And maybe they will catch on with all your friends and family and eventually become a tradition! 

You can make a ritual out of lighting a candle every morning when you first wake up, having coffee in the same cup each day this month, singing or playing the same song to your beautiful baby each morning, or reading a Christmas story after dinner with your family gathered around the fire!

[...of course while wearing your beautiful teething necklace from Little Teether, so baby is distracted from trying to flip the pages!

Having a ritual to rely on amongst all of the changes that occur during the holidays will help you reduce your levels of stress. Developing holiday rituals might even add an new element of fun! If you decide to do your rituals with your adorable babies, you may also create a new sense of bonding with them. Yay!

We love babies at Little Teether so we are super excited to celebrate anything that helps bonding with your new baby! Celebrating babies around Christmas time is also super fun. We love all beautiful bright baby bows, sparkles, glistening lights, & warm, fuzzy, and little outfits that we dress babies up in for the holiday season. Dressing your baby up in a different holiday outfit each day would be a great ritual. 

We would love to hear some of your favorite holiday rituals!

Comment below to share stories about your favorite rituals, traditions, and religious celebrations. 

xoxo,

Little Teether

 

Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Safe Toys and Gifts Month

So many toys! Christmas seems to rain toys within the walls of your house. It's amazing to see the smiles on your little one's face as they embrace their latest stuffed animal, toy, or iGadget.

With kids receiving so many new toys during the holidays it is hard to stay up to par on the latest safety issues with them. Are your kids' toys safe? Label warnings can be hard to read, misplaced, or not present at all. How can we assure that our children are safe with their new toys? Here are some safety considerations.

 safe toys

Age

Review toys to make sure they are appropriate for your kid's age. Check out the product's label. Can't find a definitive answer? Go with your instinct.

All parents know that babies love putting small parts in their mouth. Toys with tiny removable parts are not recommended for kids under four years old. Also, watch out for playthings that could potentially trap your little angel's fingers.

Toy Shape and Hardness

The shape or density (hardness) of toys are worth considering. Toys with hard-edge components might hurt toddlers since they have a habit of hitting things, often their self. To avoid injuries, leave the bulky toys for older kids.

Toy Weight

For little tykes, lighter toys are more appropriate. Heavier toys make for painful drops on toes.

Protective Gear

Did Jr. get a new bike or skateboard for Christmas? Make sure to compliment the new ride with a helmet and appropriate pads.

Love, Light, and Everything Nice!

Love, Light, and Everything Nice!

fresh coffee

On cool, dark winter mornings there is nothing better than waking up to the strong smell of freshly brewing coffee, or yummy herbal tea, and fresh flowers.

With your first sip of coffee or tea in the morning, your senses are awakened again; bringing new hope and excitement into your day! If you are lucky to be up early enough that the sun has not yet risen, take time to enjoy your Christmas lights in the quiet, early hours of morning while sipping a nice & awakening brew of your favorite morning buzz.

Waking up early in the mornings, maybe even hours before your first appointment, allows you time to check news online, water your vegetable garden, and admire your beautiful holiday decor.

Early in the morning it is easy to drift off into a daydream.

This morning we decided to drift off into a Parisian fairytale via the beautiful blog at My Domaine.  Sacha Strobe, a managing editor from Australia, did a wonderful job at evoking what a Parisian dream is in her post titled,

The Secrets to Styling Your Home Like a Parisian.

childrens room

Sacha brings up a lovely point about the importance of artwork in a home in her post by saying, "The French love to bring an element of fun into the home with artwork. Large abstract paintings, black-and-white photography, sketches, or children’s illustrations will balance out the home’s serious elements—history, architecture, and furniture."

We at Little Teether also love fun artwork and bright colors.

Visual stimulation is necessary for the healthy development of young babies. There are many studies which talk about infant vision development and the "critical period". These links are all worth looking into if you are curious about the subject. But the bottom line is, expose your little ones to bright, happy, fun, beautiful, and amazing visually stimulating things when they are very young and they will forever see a more beautiful life! 

Holiday decorations are a great visual stimuli for children and can be especially helpful for soothing a teething baby and sleepy parent in the darker winter mornings. 

Even in the desert, the morning air in winter is very cool; sometimes even leaving a frost on plants and windows. If any of you have spent time in the Phoenix area, you will know that there is nothing more beautiful than an Arizona sunrise, especially if you are spending it with a sweet growing baby!. The coastal winds from the Pacific Ocean bring a fresh and new blanket of air for us to enjoy in the day to come. 


sunrise

It is the first day of December today. The sun is set to rise at 7:14am this morning and the air is crisp and cool. Thanks to our Parisian inspiration, we decided to share one of our favorite luxurious December traditions with you!

Today is a perfect day for the Christmas countdown to officially begin! 

Only twenty four days until Christmas, twenty five days until Kwanzaa, and only five days until Hanukkah!  

In light of our encouragement of visual stimulation for the healthy development of the minds of your bright and beautiful babies; we start by sharing our tradition of holiday countdowns!

 Kids love counting and using a December advent, or countdown calendar, is a great way to teach babies about time, the days of the week, and the months in the year.

Even if your family doesn't celebrate Christmas, doing countdowns are always fun! You can even make up your own holiday at the end of the December countdown. We have listed three of our favorite holiday countdown calendars this year. 

Lindt makes a wonderful and delicious calendar that is sold on Amazon!


advent calendar  I also love this Advent calendar from Lego! 

lego advent calendarA beautiful handmade advent calendar from another small business on Etsy! 


home made advent calendar

December is such an exciting time and we hope that enjoy your early winter mornings! Remember to keep your coffee and tea strong, get lots of baby snuggles, appreciate those white holiday lights, and take a moment to smell the beautiful red roses for the rest of 2015; all under the inspiration of keeping the French fairytale alive!

All Our Best, 

Little Teether

 

 

5 Spectacular Edible Superfood Holiday Trees!

5 Spectacular Edible Superfood Holiday Trees!

In the middle of writing this post, after celebrating a wonderfully quiet Thanksgiving at home, I had to laugh at what came on the television; Jimmy Kimmel on Shark Tank!
Shark Tank should be every inventor and small business lovers' favorite show! Tonight they performed a hilarious spin-off of the show, Shark Tank, to demonstrate how we should promote eating more fruits and vegetables. I was like, "Omg, why isn't Jimmy trying to sell holiday superfood trees instead?"
I fell in love with the idea of these festive superfood trees and I think the bloggers presented below have done a much better job than Jimmy at promoting the consumption of more fruits and veggies. 
We hope that these holiday trees leave you inspired to make your refrigerator more festive this season! 
tree
1. Rustic Southern Sophistication Tree
This veggie tree was made by a beautiful southern belle by the name of Carolyn Black Morton. If you click the image above, you will access the recipe! This tree is a great thing to snack on. The tree can last for days if it is stored properly in the refrigerator. Luckily, proper storage is made possible thanks to modern inventions like Stretch-Tite wrap and adjustable  shelves!
veggie tree
2. A Winter Wonderland Superfood Tree
This edible tree comes to us from a charming family blog,
Many kids fear broccoli and cauliflower. Do we understand why? No. Nutritionally speaking we should love broccoli and cauliflower. Both broccoli and cauliflower great are for you. Broccoli and cauliflower are known to be cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are high in vitamin C, a known anti-oxidant, vitamin K, a known anti-inflamatory, folate, great for fetal development, and many more amazing nutrients! Plants are seriously awesome.
Studies have shown that eating cruciferous vegetables will help prevent the onset of bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. Cauliflower and broccoli also contain glucosinolates, which stimulate the production of isothiocyanates, enzymes that stimulate apoptosis in human tumor cells in vitro and in vivo; yay! Less tumor cells = Less Cancer
Read More About the Health Benefits of Cauliflower and Broccoli here.
fruit tree
3. The Fabulous & Fruity Christmas Tree
This tree comes to us from the an Indian domestic goddess, Prajakta Gudadhe, at Ginger and Garlic. I love the combination of colors in this tree and the assortment of more super foods! This tree contains kiwis, strawberries, red and green grapes, cantaloupe, dried cranberries, and cilantro. 
Kiwis are the best if you want beautiful skin. Kiwis are rich in magnesium which will help the nervous system function optimally. Kiwis are full of other wonderful nutrients, to learn more about kiwis click on the link above. But really, who doesn't love the fuzziness of a kiwi fruit!
Strawberries are great because they contain high levels of ellagitannins and quercetin. Both of these compounds are thought to have prevent decline of both the cardiovascular & neurological systems. Strawberries are also thought to slow the formation or prevent the onset of cancer. 
Grapes should be a part of your everyday diet. In ancient times grapes were thought to represent joy. Grapes also contain these amazing compounds called polyphenols. Polyphenols may slow or prevent many types of cancer, including esophageal, lung, mouth, pharynx, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate and colon. The consumption of grapes may also help eliminate constipation problems. 
Cantaloupe will give you a sought after glowing complexion! Rich in vitamin A, good for proper eyesight, vitamin C, powerful antioxidant, potassium, great for neurological health, folic acid, great for spinal cord development,  zinc, a promotor wound healing, copper, a strengther of the immune system cross linker of collagen and elastin, which are essential for the formation of strong and flexible connective tissue,  and finally iron, a key metabolism regulator which aids in oxygenating the body properly; cantaloupe has the right stuff to keep your organs functioning at their best!  Cantaloupe is a wonderful food for fostering a strong development of healthy babies, especially with regard to their immune systems. Read more about the health benefits of cantaloupe by selecting any of the highlighted word in the above paragraph. 
Dried Cranberries are a great snack to enjoy in the winter months. Cranberries contain a compound called proanthocyanidin. Proanthocyanidin helps prevent UTI infections and also can help prevent bacterial binding on the teeth. 
Cilantro acts as a natural preservative. It will help keep your tree looking fresh for longer. Cilantro is also high in vitamin c like all of the other fruits and has been shown to help reduce heavy metal toxicity in the body!
strawberry tree
4. The Rosy Red, Sweet Simplicity Tree
This beautiful tree is the perfect pairing to a warm pot of chocolate fondue or a delicious bowl of freshly made organic whipped cream. Fortunately, chocolate still passes as a superfood! This tree contains strawberries and mint; only two ingredients = super easy! 
Mint is both a great looking garnish and a superfood! Mint aids in digestion, may help soothe stubborn allergies, and has one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any food!
For recipe information for this gorgeous tree click on the photo above.
 
5. The Fully Raw Tropical Tree
FullyRawKristina is a great account to follow on Instagram if you are into eating a plant based diet. She is one of the most creative fruit and veggies foodies around. Her spirit is so uplifting that watching her videos will immediately inspire you and your family to eat your fruits and veggies! This video helps to show you how easy it is to make these fun holiday creations that your whole family will love. 
We hope that you have enjoyed these five festive edible holiday trees! Tag us on social media using #LittleTeether to show us your holiday superfood creations.
All Our Best,
Little Teether
 

11 Keys to Surviving Black Friday with a Young Family!

11 Keys to Surviving Black Friday with a Young Family!

black Friday sale

For those of you that love a good adrenaline rush bright and early in the morning, you know there is no holiday better for you than Black Friday!

The smell of freshly brewed coffee and crisp fall air brings new life to us all on Black Friday morning; no matter how late we stayed up visiting with family and friends the night before. 

Black Friday commences the start of a new holiday season and prepares us for all the excitement that December is bound to bring. With Hanukkah beginning on December 6th this year, the winter solstice arriving the 22nd, Christmas happening on the 25th, and Kwanzaa starting on the 26th, December is looking like one non-stop celebration!

In order to enjoy all the festivities of December, it is nice to get most of your shopping done in the last days of November. Black Friday & Cyber Monday offer amazing deals on many of the items that your loved ones have been eying all year. 

In order to have the most productive Black Friday ever this year it will be essential that you plan ahead!

At Little Teether we want you to make the most out of your Black Friday this year so we have included nine of greatest Black Friday tips for young families. 

1.  Stay Hydratedchildren

Early mornings and hours of shopping create a great deal of energy expenditure. We've all heard it before, "Shopping is my cardio!"...

Many times in the rush of getting out the door in the morning of Black Friday, we forget that malls and stores don't always have the most accessible drinking fountains. If you are bringing young children with you, all the excitement of the crowds will make them dehydrate even more quickly than expected. Dehydration makes children and parents more susceptible to irritability, dizziness, infection, nausea, etc. And ain't nobody got time for that on Black Friday!

Here is how to avoid the problem of dehydration...

The easiest way to ensure that you will have enough water and free hands to grab all those great deals this Friday is to bring a Camelback Backpack or any other type of hydration pack for your back or hips.

Fill your hydration pack up the night before while you are cleaning up from the party and throw it in the fridge.

Set an reminder notification on your phone to remind you in the morning to grab the pack. If you don't have a hydration back and you have a new family, I highly suggest purchasing one. Kids love them, but a good old fashion water bottle will work too! 

2. Eat a Good Breakfastbreakfast

When you first wake up in the morning on Friday, you may still feel full from all the wonderful items you consumed the night before. Do not make the mistake of thinking that this feeling of 'fullness' will last with you throughout your shopping day. Leaving the house without eating something or grabbing something for later will leave you hungry and grumpy in no time. Lines at the food court will be ridiculous. And who wants to waste time eating mall food when you could be scoring the last bit of a Black Friday deal? 

A good Black Friday breakfast should contain some protein, to sustain your muscle health, a little bit of fat, to keep you feeling full, and some carbohydrates, to keep your brain alert and ready for action. 

Make a quiche, eat a bagel with lox, blend a smoothie, throw down a banana, enjoy a glass of orange juice, and sip a cup of coffee! Do whatever it takes to wake your metabolism up and prepare your body for some intense holiday work. 

Remember to take your vitamins and/or medication too! 

If you just can't seem to stomach anything after over indulging the night before, grab a protein bar and a piece of fruit for later. 

Eating a good breakfast will keep you and your family on your shopping A-game this year. 

3. Map Out Your Course of Action for Purchasing ItemsChristmas gift list

The most successful Black Friday shoppers know exactly what they want and where they are going to get it. Make a list of the "must haves" this year. Look those items up online to find the retailers that are selling what you want and for the best price. Make a list of all the items you are planning to purchase; write down the prices advertised.

Notate the hours and locations of these retailers. Plan ahead for traffic and start with the store farthest away from home and then work your way closer to home. Call the retailer ahead of time to see if there is any additional information that you should know about the protocols for waiting in line, placing items on layaway, etc. 

4. Host a Pre-Black Friday Family Meetingfamily meeting

Kids love the excitement that comes along with Black Friday. Kids seem to love anything that brings a bit of chaos along with it. Black Friday can be overwhelming for everyone, but it can be especially overwhelming for young kids if they aren't prepared for it. If you plan on bringing your kids along with you this Black Friday, it would be good to host a family meeting after the culmination of your  Thanksgiving traditions . At the meeting you can discuss all the things you learn from this post! 

5. Teach your Kids about the History of Black FridayBlack Friday shopping 

Use this holiday to familiarize your kids with what the economy is. Teach them about the stock market, why we shop on Black Friday, who we shop for on Black Friday, etc. the night before at the family meeting to prepare them for the chaos the next day. This is a great link explaining the history of Black Friday in case you don't know the history of the holiday yourself!

http://useconomy.about.com/od/demand/f/Black_Friday_Name.htm

6. Assign Family Members a Black Friday Buddy or to a Black Friday Teamfamily

Black Friday comes along with gigantic crowds. It is easy for kids to get lost in crowds but in the case that your child does get lost, they will do better if they are with a buddy or on a team. Make your kids aware of the dangers associated with large crowds and emphasize the importance of staying with their buddy or team. Shopping buddies/teams are also great because they will give you advice on whether or not your purchase is worth while. Make the idea of shopping buddies/teams fun by making t-shirts or doing scavenger hunts. 

7. Outline the Morning Plan of Actiongroup photo

Having everyone on the same page about what is expected the next morning will alleviate a lot of stress. Being upfront about expectations with kids will give them a sense of responsibility. 

Outline who will be driving and what time is everyone expected to be out the door. Give your kids tips on what to wear the next morning and have them lay out outfits so that there is no hassle in the morning with getting dressed. 

8. Give Your Kids a Black Friday Allowance for GiftsChristmas money

If you choose to bring your kids along with you this Friday, it will be more fun for them if they feel like they can participate. Kids love having money that they can spend on their own. Giving kids a little bit of money to enjoy Black Friday will help them understand commerce and give them a feeling of independence. It is also fun to see what kids buy on their own for others. So that meltdowns can be avoided, it is good to set up an amount of money which will be available to them on Black Friday. If you don't believe that your child is capable of holding the money themselves, give them a notecard with their starting amount. With each purchase they make, notate it on their card so that they begin to learn how money works...and how quickly it goes!

Setting a Black Friday allowance of $20-$200 dollars is reasonable depending on your family's financial situation. 

9. Pick a Family Meeting Place and Set a Time to Gather There to Culminate the Dayfamily dinner

Familiarize your child with the Guest Services center at the shopping center that you are going to. Let them know that if they are lost they can always ask a security guard to guide them to the guest services center at the mall. If your child does not have a cell phone, give them a card or wristband with your cell phone number on it. Walkie Talkies are also a great tool for connecting families in large crowd settings. 

Setting a time to gather at a meeting place will also be beneficial in the case that somebody's phone dies. It also will help to structure the day and help in avoiding over shopping. If you are planning on shopping most of the morning, a good meeting place would be at a restaurant in the area for an early lunch!

Food is the best for bringing people back together and end the shopping day. 

10. Don't Leave Out Those Who Would Rather Stay At Home; especially the MenChristmas snacks

Shopping is stressful for men to begin with, Black Friday can amplify this, consider making a man care package of candy and goodies so he won't feel left out if he is left at home with the TV, PlayStation 4, and possibly the others in the family that are not fans of big crowds. 

To the men reading this; this goes for women who would rather stay home too! 

 11. Coffee!hot coffee

Espresso shots, on espresso shots...

We hope that you find everything you have ever wished for this Black Friday.

Happy Shopping!

Little Teether