You Want Me to Put that Where?

OK I know… it is not what you are thinking.  It is so much cleaner and better then what you are thinking.  This is a G rated site you know.

About a month ago my mother in law had advised me to put Vicks Vapor rub on little Analiese’s feet.  I had though that she was nuts!  Why would I put Vick’s on my babies feet?  So the next day my mother in law emails me an article on how putting vicks on a babies feet is actually better for the baby then putting it on their chest.  I laughed and forwarded it all of my friends.  I was thinking that they would also find the whole thing quite funny!

A few days later a saw one of the friends that I had emailed the article to in the Mall.  She was so happy and excited.  She had told me that her daughter had been sick with a cough for about a week.  She had said that the poor baby had not even been able to sleep laying down so my friend had been holding he all night long!   Then she went on to tell me something quite shocking.  She tried the Vick’s on the feet solution out of sheer desperation and IT WORKED!  She was thanking me profusely.  I had to come clean and let her know that it was my mother in law who had figured it all out!

I have not had a sick child since my mother in law mentioned the Vicks on the feet trick.  I am anxious to try it on someone… Darn that flu shot! I would love to hear who out there has tried it.

Becca

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10 Potty Training Tips

Potty training can be a quick and easy stage in your child’s life if you know what to do and when to do it. Here are Becca’s top 10 tips to help you get started!

Tip 1: Your child should be at least 2 years old. There is some debate about this. I know that my pediatrician has explained that the bladder muscles are not ready before this point.

Tip 2: Do not start training too early. Toilet training should start once you notice that you child is staying dry for long periods of time. Children who go to a specific area to void in their diapers are also showing signs of readiness.

Tip 3: Start small. Begin by buying a small potty and letting your child sit on it with clothing on until they become comfortable with it. Also stick with the small potty in the beginning. Many children have a fear of falling into the big potty which can make potty training stressful.

Tip 4: Once your child seems ready, remove their diaper and sit them on the potty. Bring a book to the potty and read it with your child. This will help your child stay on the potty and hopefully go.

Tip 5: Do not become discouraged. Potty training can take from a few weeks to a few months depending on the child. NEVER yell or scold your child for having an accident. This will make the process stressful.

Tip 6: When your little one uses the toilet make a HUGE deal out of it. Our family has a “poopy on the potty” song that we sing when we have success. A few high fives and a “good job” here and there are also a great way to make your child feel that they have done well.

Tip 7: Reward with a treat. I was against this with my first daughter but half way through potty training realized that it was a great thing. One M&M or other little treat with each success is a life saver. As much as I hate to say it, it worked!

Tip 8: With Emma, my middle child, we developed a chart. We drew a road with a start and a finish. Each time she went potty we placed a Dora sticker on the road. Once she crossed the finish line she was able to pick a toy out of the prize box.

Tip 9: Let your little on in the bathroom when you have to go. I know that, as a mother of three, this can get annoying but it is helpful. After a while I would sit them on the potty every time I was in the bathroom. We would sit and chat until I was done then show off our successes.

Tip 10: Set the timer so they know when to go. The biggest challenge in the beginning is that your child has not yet realized that it is time to go until it is too late. What we do is to set the kitchen timer. In the beginning we set it for 15 minutes. Every time it went off we marched to the potty and tried. After a week we then increased the time to 30 minutes. This helps children remember to go potty and makes the potty training experience less stressful because there are less accidents and more successes!

I hope all of this helps! I would love to hear about your success stories!… Rebecca

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Why Huggies Are The Best

Why Huggies® Are the Best

Diapers in Town

As a new parent you search and search for the best diaper. All three of my girls have used Huggies®. With Abigail, my oldest who is now 7, we tried every diaper that there is. We then realized that nothing around compared to Huggies®. I know that they cost a little more but here is why it is worth the extra dollar a week.

1. Huggies® whisk moisture away from their bottoms. This means less diaper rashes for you to have to deal with. It also means that you have less laundry to do. And as we all know there is already plenty of laundry when there is a baby in the house!

2. Huggies® NEVER leak. They fit perfect to baby’s bodies and hold a ton of water. I have even used them for splashing around in the sprinkler. If going in a pool I would suggest Huggies® little swimmers.

3. Huggies® diapers require less changing throughout the day. This means that in the long run you spend less money.

4. Huggies® is now a member of the box top program. This was great news in our house! Abigail can bring in the box tops and win a pizza party for her class. Our school this year raised a few thousand dollars in box tops. This means money for special events and new technology! You can also save them until your baby is in school. Many that I have right now expire in 2011 so you can save them for your baby!

I love Huggies® and will use nothing else. I know that with money on all of our minds right now it is hard to think about spending a little more but in the long run you save money because you use less!

How To Win The Battle At Bedtime

How To Win The Battle At Bedtime

Is everyday a battle at bedtime? I know in our house it is often the worst time of day! I want to pull out my hair and start screaming, but that does not work either. Killing them is not

an option, screaming doesn’t work and ignoring it makes it worse. So what is a frantic mother to do? Now that you know that you are not alone we can tackle the problem. Here are 10 quick tips to try tonight to make your night a smoother, happier one:

1. Put your kids to bed at the same time every night. No exceptions!

2. Have an established routine. We eat dinner, start the bath, read a book and sing one song to each of the girls. They know what is next and after a while they do not ask for more. Develop a routine that works for you. Perhaps a song or a family game. Something quite is best. I would not recommend TV or video games because these tend to stimulate kids and make bedtime more difficult.

3. If your child comes out of their room simply walk them back to bed and leave. Do not talk to them or interact with them. This will show them that you mean business and reduce the number of times that they come out.

4. Make sure that they have everything they need to be comfortable. This means their glass of water, the night light on, their special blankie and anything else they will get out of bed for. Assure that these things are done before entering into the room.

5. NEVER let them sleep in your bed! It breaks the routine and gives them excuses. It also means that you and your spouse can have a bed to yourselves!

6. Make a reward chart. We have a chart on Abigail and Emma’s doors. Every night they go to bed on time they get a High School Musical or Hanna Montana sticker. After 30 stickers they can pick a prize.

7. Avoid beverages with caffeine after 6pm. These will not only keep your little one wired but will also give them a bladder excuse to get out of bed!

8. Give them a few warnings. If bed time is at 8 tell them at 7:45 that they have 15 more minutes. Then 10 more minutes and then 5 more minutes. This helps children who have trouble transitioning.

9. Exercise is something that makes kids tired at the end of the day! Run them until they cannot run anymore. Play a family game of outdoor fun a few hours before bed. Tag, volleyball, a family walk and bike riding are just a few ideas.

10. Do not linger. Leave your child’s room while they are still awake. That will help them to be able to calm themselves and learn to go to sleep without your help.