The Front Porch

By TOM McMAHON

last updated: September 23, 2008 01:47:28 AM

Throughout the years, researchers have wondered what works best to soothe a crying baby. Here are the top three:

PARENTING

PACIFIERS -- A pacifier is a parent's best friend. When it comes to self-soothing, a pacifier usually does the trick. Pacifiers also come in handy for medical procedures such as shots and blood tests. To further reduce the number of infants who die from sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, doctors are now recommending that babies should sleep with pacifiers in their mouths at naptime and bedtime throughout the first year of life.

BABY SLING -- For centuries, moms have carried their babies in a simple front sling, like a kangaroo. Now they are popular worldwide for their swaddling and soothing effect. It's the next best thing to a womb, and the easiest way to carry and snuggle with your infant. To see some samples, go to www.slinglings.com.

INFANT MASSAGE -- We all know that babies love skin-to-skin contact and being touched, held and cuddled. But infant massage can bring touch to a new level. Research abounds with positive outcomes from touch, from infancy to late adulthood. Gently massaging your baby's skin can turn crying into cooing and sleeplessness into slumber.

A FROZEN BINKY HELPS TEETHING -- A binky (pacifier) kept in the refrigerator or freezer can help numb the pain of teething discomfort. It really works. -- T.L., San Diego

OLD MACDONALD HAS A DIAPER, E-I-E-I-O -- My boys didn't like to take time out to have their diapers changed and would cry loudly the whole time. I found that singing to them -- especially "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," with lots of weird animal sounds -- distracted them, and they'd lie still and listen. This worked very well until they were toilet-trained.

-- Peggy Gilbreth Nipper, Omaha, Neb.

HOMEWORK ORGANIZER -- Young children and even some teens sometimes overlook a homework assignment, so I created a simple homework organizer. I made a chart with six columns and nine rows. The column on the far left was labeled "SUBJECT," and the remaining five columns were listed as "MONDAY," "TUESDAY," etc. The rows were labeled in three sets of "DUE," "COMPLETE" and "GRADE." Not only did this chart keep our kids on track for assignments, but we also had a history of homework grades long before report cards came home. -- Anonymous

A POTTY ROLE MODEL -- Children learn by watching, so take them with you when you use the bathroom. I started doing this when my children were infants. I have three kids, and they were all potty-trained by the time they turned 2. Even if I got them a portable potty, they wanted to go into the bathroom. They knew what the bathroom was all about. -- L.B., Yonkers, N.Y.

Note: A child's peers also can be a role model. Even 2-year-olds have peer pressure. (T.M.)

YELLING IS CONTAGIOUS -- I realized that whenever I yelled at my children, they usually would yell back with the same force I had used. And in a matter of seconds, communication would spiral out of control. Now I try to be more controlled when I need to confront them. And my children, in turn, respond to me in a kinder way. They even listen better when I talk softly. It really works! -- W.C.D., Troy, N.Y.

LEARNING TO SLEEP -- My best friend told me to occasionally put my newborn son down for a nap or bedtime while he was still awake, so he could learn to comfort himself to sleep. If you always hold him until he falls asleep, you may end up with a 3-year-old who refuses to go to bed because he never learned to go to sleep by himself. I tried this, and my children have no problems at naptime or bedtime. -- A.E., Yonkers, N.Y.

College professor Tom McMahon is the author of books "Kid Tips" and "Teen Tips." Visit his Web site at www.kidtips.com and e-mail your parenting tips to tom@kidtips.com.

KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

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