About four years ago, when we had a seven, six and three-year old and a six-month old baby, I thought life was busy. Between first grade, preschool, diapers and not nearly enough sleep, I did a lot of running around. And I had this idea that things would get easier as all these kiddos got older.I pictured a time - and I’m almost there, actually - when no one would be in diapers and everyone would be in school and able to keep themselves occupied in a non-destructive way that wouldn’t involve … [Read more...]
The Best Potty Training Books: 7 Books to Get You and Your Little One Through
Looking for some potty training tips? You might want to start with our super popular post, The 5 Biggest Potty Training Mistakes (and maybe also this potty training tip for some self-sustaining humor). After that, head over to Amazon or your local library because as with almost all parenting challenges, it's always helpful to have a book for both you and your kiddo to help tackle it! Here's our resident children's librarian, Janssen, with her best picks on the topic... Are there any … [Read more...]
5 Things Every Parent Should Know About the Emergency Room During Flu Season
Image Credit: © anjanettew | Sean at the ER | CC by 2.0Your child has been sniffling, sneezing and coughing for the last few days. His fever hasn’t gone down and his sore throat seems to be worsening. You know this scenario, right?Your mama bear instincts kick in and you begin preparing yourself for a trip to the emergency department (ED).We get it, bringing a sick child to the ED can be stressful, especially this winter with hospitals nationwide reporting record-breaking admissions. … [Read more...]
How 5 Rings Are Going to Make Me a Better Mom this Year
How many of you resolved to yell less at your kids this year? Actually, let me amend that, to just be nicer to your kids?I ask because I've seen a whole lot of stuff going around the web lately about how to stop yelling. Apparently yelling is the new spanking for our generation.I get it. Yelling at your kids totally sucks. Even while you're doing it you are already regretting it, yet you can't seem to make it stop.Nobody wants to parent that way - for sure. But I'd bet that most of … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: The Cavity Club
With four kids, the chances that we’d escape childhood with no cavities were pretty slim, right? Still, I admit it, I was getting a little smug. After visits to the dentist every six months for the last five or six years with no trouble at all, I kind of thought we had the tooth thing dialed.I mean, we’re religious about brushing and flossing in the morning, and we do get a little lazy as the day drags on, but they brush and floss more often than not at night.Still, I thought their … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Kindergarten Intervention
Sounds ominous, right? With our third kiddo in kindergarten this year, we’re old hands at the parent-teacher conference. But this year, after the usual awesome conferences for our oldest two, we heard something we’d never heard before.“We’re lucky this year to have intervention at the kindergarten level, and I hope you’ll be open to letting B participate,” his teacher said matter-of-factly.For a second, I really floundered as I considered what exactly they were intervening in. Refusing … [Read more...]
Mindful Diapering is a Thing – Here’s How to Do It Right
Image Credit: © Kristin Sloan | December 07, 2016 at 07:13PM | CC by 2.0Mindfulness is everywhere these days, so it's really no surprise that it's even made its way to the changing table. But this isn't just a fad.It's a real way to use an interaction that happens multiple times a day to bond with your baby and to learn how he is communicating with you; his moods movements, expressions and - most importantly - his cues. Because every parent knows the more tuned in you are to your baby's … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: The Lessons that Sink In
One of the big things about being a parent is this idea of modeling good behavior. I mean, we talk about expectations for behavior, and I think that’s important, but then we have to actually put them into practice.Things, like being kind and treating others as you'd like to be treated yourself, are a big deal in our house. Around the holidays, we also talk about giving and the idea that you can experience real joy when you give to others.You’d think that would be a hard concept for kids, … [Read more...]
How to Make a “Sibling Appreciation” Advent Calendar
This "Sibling Appreciation Advent Calendar" is an idea our elf came up with last year and worked really well.On the first day he appeared, always the day after Thanksgiving in our house, he arrived with this Advent Calendar (only $15!) and an explanation.The idea is simple. Our elf asked the kids to take a minute each day to write something nice about each other and place it in that day's pocket. The next morning the kids wake up to find the notes they wrote about each other and a small … [Read more...]