Is your baby a SuperBaby? Of course I am a firm believer that everyone has a SuperBaby, but what do I know I am just a NH Mom. Today I share with you a great book that hit shelves on September 7, 2010! I received an advanced copy of SuperBaby for review and boy did I enjoy this book. I already knew that the first three years of a child’s life is when you should be teaching them a wide range of knowledge, I just didn’t do it with my first two children but I certainly hope to take advantage of teaching Baby K a few things before he is off to school.

I wanted to share with you an article written by the author of this book because it’s something I struggle with in my home often. I am famous for turning on the television or Wii game for my sons so that I can get dinner done. I hope this article helps you out and shows you why the SuperBaby book may be a great resource for you as a parent to a little one!

How to Make Dinner for Your Family without Turning on the TV: 10 Tips

By Dr. Jenn Berman

Most parents know that The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends no screen time (television, computers, DVDs, electronic games) before the age of two and many of the studies show that screen time can be detrimental for those under the age of three. Most of the moms I know struggle with this guideline. One of the greatest challenges with a young child is to make dinner without succumbing to turning on the television. In my book SuperBaby: 12 Ways to Give Your Child a Head Start in the First 3 Years I list some options. Here are 10 ideas to try.

1. Put him in his crib while you keep the baby monitor near you.
2. Create a gated play space off of the kitchen.
3. Let your child help with age appropriate tasks like putting prepared ingredients into a bowl.
4. Put your child in a high chair and roll it up to the counter so he can watch you make dinner while you narrate everything you are doing.
5. Keep a kitchen cabinet filled with things your child can play with, like wooden spoons, unbreakable bowls, and safe containers.
6. Have a special stash of toys that your child gets to play with only when you are cooking in the kitchen.
7. Make a special kitchen book box filled with interesting board books including some baby friendly family albums with photos.
8. Keep a stack of child-friendly magazines and catalogs in the kitchen for your child to look through.
9. Play music in the kitchen that your kids love to dance to.
10. Have a magnet board or art easel for your child to play with while you cook.

Before television became a universal fixture, parents somehow managed to make dinner, take care of their children, take a shower, and attend to household tasks. Parents went out of their way to help their children learn tasks that might occupy them long enough to allow the grown-ups to get dinner on the table. I can tell you from both personal and clinical experience that if you teach your child to enjoy solitary play from the start, your life without TV will be much easier. Your child will also benefit tremendously. The television-free babies I see in my practice have longer attention spans and need less stimulation to remain interested and engaged.

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Disclosure: Sterling Publishing sent me a free copy of SuperBaby to review. I have written this post based on my own personal opinions.