toddlers
How can I expand my picky eater’s palate?
Dear Mama Drama: My two-year-old won’t eat anything, but macaroni and cheese. I’m afraid to give him other things because if he doesn’t eat it he’ll be hungry. I see other children, even younger than him, eating a wide variety of foods. I am amazed that they will eat things like tofu and vegetables. How can I get my son to eat a wider variety of foods? ~Scared of starving Dear Scared: Many children have difficulty expanding their food choices once they have found a favorite food. Macaroni and cheese, PB & J, and mashed potatoes are common favorites. They may like the texture, smell, or associate a positive experience with that food. However, we have to offer them other foods on a regular basis if we want them to make other choices. Our job as parents is to provide healthy options for o...
Deck the Halls With Hopeless Holiday Photos
I stood looking at the holiday photos of my friend’s children. They were sitting still with perfect smiles. Not a single hair was out of place. Their clothes were on. I wondered how they did that. Maybe the children in the photo weren’t real.
Preschool: A Transition from ABC to X+Y=Z
Preschool started for us a couple weeks ago. By “us,” I mean my kids started school—obviously I’m not in preschool. If I was, it wouldn’t be so bad. Because it’s preschool. Right now, school is all about rules and boundaries and fine motor skills. But, soon it’ll be about geography and geometry, which have no place in our home except for the shape of things. Really, how often do you have to figure out the area of your dining room table mirror?
A (Funny) Family Guide to Hiking With Toddlers: 12 Things You need
One of the things I love most about outdoor actives and small children is that it generally wears them out. Oh, and it makes memories and stuff. Before we had kids, my husband and I were out every weekend on a different adventure. We had the luxury of just hopping in our car and going. We didn’t need to take naps into consideration because we’d nap after our destination hike, or wine tasting. Boy, has that changed. These days hiking is still fun but, it’s more of a three-ring circus kind of fun. Where people cry, and someone almost always falls and gets a face full of dirt. Like anything else with parenting, hiking with toddlers takes some trial runs to finesse it a little. Here’s a few tips on what you’ll need:
12 Days of Toddler Christmas
As Christmas rounds the corner, I find myself officially on the other side of the Christmas magic. That doesn’t mean Christmas has no magic left. It simply means that after the Christmas magic dust has settled to the floor, I have to clean it up. With a broom. Because my three-year old shows the same amount of fear towards the vacuum as I would, if I opened my pantry and found an actual shark inside. The side of Christmas I’m talking about is the day-to-day side: Hey, hey! It’s Christmas! Also, it’s Tuesday! Did you pay the utility bill? I don’t know who wrote the Christmas carol: “Twelve Days of Christmas.” But, I’d be willing to bet both the giver and recipient were adults. Not just because a verse from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star doesn...
Ladybugasaurus Rex: a costume suggestion for an indecisive toddler
I was assigned the challenging task of selecting a Halloween costume this year. I’m buying her costume because I can’t sew. I can glue like nobody’s business. But it’s too risky. I could construct the most amazing Mrs. Potato-head costume out of tacky glue, construction paper, foam and rubber cement; only to have it fall apart halfway through trick or treating. Because you never know when Colorado will decide that humidity should go from 0-95%. In a block and a half. Before it snows. At 95 degrees. Suddenly my child would stop getting treats. The homeowner, seeing her holding all her potato parts, would think she’s looking for a trash can. The last two years she’s been a lion. Wearing an adorable costume my mother-in-law sewed from scratch. This year her sister will...
How Do I Transition My Baby from the Family Bed?
Dear Mama Drama: My husband and I have been practicing the family bed with our son who is now eighteen months olds. We all sleep in the same bed, with him either in the middle or on the outside of me with a portable bed-rail next to him. He also sleeps in our bed during his naps. As he is getting bigger we think he is ready to begin sleeping in his own bed in his room. We want to make this a smooth transition that maintains the trusting relationship we have built with him. Do you have any recommendations on how to proceed? ~Trusted mama (photo credit)
How can I support my toddler during sibling sports?
~With summer sports seasons moving into full swing, this post is a good reminder for families with tag along toddlers. Dear Mama Drama: My husband and I have two older elementary and middle school age children who are very active in sports throughout the year. I also have a toddler who gets to tag along to all of their activities. Sometimes my little one does well and other times he really struggles and has big meltdowns. He gets tired and cranky, wants to be picked up or taken home, whines and throws fits, and the games and practices often interrupt his dinner and bedtime. I try to be flexible, but am often exhausted trying to entertain him and still support the older two. I need help juggling all of this, but don’t know where to turn. Any ideas? ~ Stumped Mama (photo credit) Dear Stumped...
Potty Training Tips from a Mom of Nine
I have helped seven children graduate out of diapers and into undies. My first few kids were subjected to all kinds of nonsense, fueled by advice found in parenting manuals. Barrels of tears were cried as accidents mounted. Frustration and angst hung in the air as my main focus in life seemed to be the state of my little one’s innards. It took a long time to learn that bladders don’t know how to read anything, especially parenting manuals. Bladders don’t blow out birthday candles, either, so they aren’t aware they just turned two. When I began thinking about potty training our fourth child, a thought occurred to me. My three oldest kids had terrible times mastering the numerous skills that need to come together. Kids need physical self-awareness, the ability to anti...
Mama Drama: Toddler Swimming Anxiety
Dear Mama Drama: My twenty-month-old son has been taking swimming lessons for about a month. He started out well, but now throws a fit when I tell him it’s time to go swimming and is often hysterical by the time we get to the pool. Sometimes I can coax him into the water and other times he’s completely uncooperative. He’s always loved the water so I’m not sure what is getting in the way of him enjoying swim lessons. How can we help him get through this and get back to loving the water? ~Drowning in Drama
Mama Drama: Toddler Naptime Dilemma – To Nap or Not to Nap?
Dear Mama Drama: When do kids stop napping? My two and a half year old son has been resisting falling asleep for about a week now but if he does fall asleep, he’s out for 1-2 hours. How do I know if he needs it still? He’s a nightmare around 5 if he doesn’t nap. Suggestions?? ~Stumped Mama (photo credit) Dear Stumped: Napping is a
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