Having kids isn't for sissies. By the end of your first five years (we like to call this boot camp), you will be able to pack like a champ, change the grossest diaper without batting an eye, and simultaneously carry a 70 pound diaper bag and a screaming 30 pound toddler on a 3 hour hike through the crowded wilderness of Disney Land in 30+ degree heat. But we all have our dark days... days where we'd like to be able to ring the darned bell and call it quits.
Except, unlike in Hell Week, there is no bell. So we have to go find other parents who can give us sympathy, tips, tricks, and hilarity we need to survive.
We have a nearly three year-old, and a nearly one year-old. We are knee deep in diapers, laundry, and battery operated toys. Leaving the house for an afternoon requires sippy-cups, toddler snacks, baby snacks, diapers, wipes, outfit-changes, and small travel toys for entertainment. Times two. If we stay overnight anywhere, we look like we're going on a European backpacking adventure.
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In the challenging moments, we can stop trying to put on a brave face when all we really want to do is cry. We can also stop trying to “have it all,” because doing so at the expense of the rest or our sanity doesn’t prove anything—and it certainly won’t make us feel better. I have experienced many of those grueling days, and I’d like to share five things that have helped my clients—and me—the most.
In order to not let what I now know as toddler/ preschool parenting PPD (it’s a thing!) take hold of me, I sat down to make a list of agreements that would guide how I interacted with my two toddlers. These are the promises I made to my children.
I honestly feel that the very biggest mistake we're all making as parents is reading all these articles highlighting our mistakes. Sure, there are plenty of amazingly helpful and insightful articles out there, but for each one of those there are five waiting to tell us just how badly we're screwing up our kids. I think these are five no-fail ways to be a better parent.
It was a simple sentence uttered on the playground by a neighbourhood mom. As we watched our boys playing, our talk turned to how hard it has been to get my kids out the door in the mornings. Recently, my five year-old son has decided that every step of the morning routine is unnecessary. The chart that was so effective at keeping us on track no longer holds any weight. And that particular morning had been, let’s just say, plain difficult.
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When you’ve got a toddler and bedtime rolls around, it can feel like a job. Night in and night out, putting your toddler to bed can become more and more difficult. And because it’s tough on everyone when your little one isn’t getting the sleep they need, it’s important to equip yourself with the right sleep information. Here’s what you need to know to get the job done right.
Babies are cute and cuddly for a reason - and it's biological. Nature makes them adorable so we want to care for them; it's an aspect of our species survival and it's what makes it impossible to ignore chubby baby cheeks on a human, yet be able to walk straight past a newborn rat or brand-new puddle of wasp larvae.
I know it can prove challenging to get and read a whole book while raising toddlers, so I’m suggesting a few of those along with resources you can pop in and out of in minutes or with one hand.
When it comes to meal and snack times, it’s important that we, as parents, take responsibility for the Whats, Whens and Wheres of feeding. However, it’s equally important that we let our toddlers and young children be responsible for the Whethers and How muchs of eating.
We don’t call them the terrible twos for nothing. So what do you do to handle a screaming child? How do you learn how to stop toddler tantrums? Here are five foolproof ways to tame your child during a meltdown.
The following is a list of toddler things that I’m not a big fan of. Fellow parents – can you relate?
Dear Toddler Toy Makers,
I don’t know if you're aware of this, but you are the topic of many of my thoughts throughout the day, almost every day. I spend my time both singing your praises, and cursing your existence. The duality of man, as they say?
It is not surprising then that the most common complaint I hear from parents of toddler is, “HELP! My toddler is driving me crazy!” or, “I’m frustrated All. THE. TIME. Please make it stop.” I can’t make parenting easier for you but I can certainly help you feel more able to handle the regular challenges of raising toddlers.
We started looking after her gums when she was an infant; we were advised by our family dentist that it was never too soon to get her accustomed to cleaning her gums. I made a game out of it as she grew.
Information has always helped me be organized and confident in new scenarios. So, to combat my fears, I decided to ask an expert who knows what’s what. A Canadian Flight Attendant. I knew I was going to get the straight goods from this uber-experienced professional.
Toddlers run away because they are excited and love the freedom of running. They certainly are NOT doing this to “be bad” or “make you mad.” They don’t have the brain power to associate running away with danger—they just don’t realize the risks they take doing this.
Here are some parenting phrases that can help increase a toddler’s cooperation and reduce tantrums. The delivery of these lines usually goes better with a smile or goofy face.
So what is it that I do to make my son LOL, you ask? Here, I will share with you my highly sophisticated comedic repertoire.
Hello, my name is Jen and I'm the mother of a two-year-old who is addicted to trucks. He eats, sleeps, and dreams about trucks. Excavators, backhoes, front end loaders. He knows all the names, and all of their parts. Shanks, stabilizers, and blades.
I was really nervous. I was afraid Cole would try to eat the new baby. I was afraid he'd cry and scream and throw things directly aiming at the baby's soft spot. My friend told me that when she was born, her brother took a shit under her crib because he was so mad at his mom for bringing home a new baby.
How do you fit this all in when faced with the powerful phenomenon of TODDLER TIME? At two and a half, my daughter is spanning the period between toddlerhood and being a preschooler. She is brimming with curiosity, teeming with questions and bursting with energy. The child can turn the simplest tasks into the most epic of journeys.
As a mom to a 14 month-old, I am often looking for ideas to entertain my little one and buy myself a moment to get something done. And so I ask around for others' experiences and found some for us all!
Your need to be somewhere else does not match their need to be with you. This statement is not meant to trigger guilt because you can certainly securely attach with your child, foster positive development, and still go to work.
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