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Category: Motherhood
On Monday, I posted about our trip to the zoo without a stroller. We had a blast, even when we had to carry Mac for a little while. In the car on the way home, Andrew and I were discussing what made our trip so much fun. We came up with 3 tips to have happier toddler outings for everyone, toddler and adults.
I know people already think we are weird because we went out and about with no infant bucket seat. What would you say when I tell you we go out with no stroller either? And Mac is only 16 months old. So how in the world did we survive a morning at the zoo with no stroller? And why? It actually wasn’t too hard and we had a blast.
You know what is one of the worst things in the world? Trying to put a diaper on a squirming toddler who absolutely does not want to be on their back. They kick you and it hurts and at the end of all of it, no one is speaking to each other and everyone needs alone time to breath. It is all around an awful experience.
So imagine my surprise when I started in a Montessori toddler room and was told they did their diapering standing up. Umm, what? That seems like an absolute disaster, but I can tell you now that it is so easy. That is because I know the #1 trick to stand up diapering that no one seems to know. And yes, it does work with cloth diapers also.I If you are interested in cloth diapers, check out cloth diapering 101. (And PS make sure you read about what cloth diapering accessories I think are critical to success!)
If there is one thing all moms hate, it is that darn baby weight. I had come to accept that those 5 extra pounds were here to stay until suddenly I had a toddler and those 5 pounds (plus a few more!) were gone. I didn’t consciously change anything I was doing, but I realize I adopted different habits once Mac was older. Here are the three things that helped.
There is a lot of debate about whether babies and toddlers should have a schedule. Some think a strict toddler schedule with no wiggle room will help. Others think going with the flow is better because it gives the child what they need at any particular time. So what do I think? Well, I practice both of these: a schedule and no schedule. How in the world does that work? Let me give you the run-down.
I will be the first one to admit that I am an introvert and a homebody. Maternity leave sounded like an absolute dream to me, especially because I got to be off for seven months! (Yay for summers off as a teacher.) But I think anyone would go stir-crazy being stuck at home alone with a newborn for 8 hours a day. So I made a simple rule for myself that I followed through most of my maternity leave and it helped me stay sane.
From the time Mac was born, I tried really hard to not keep her strapped into one kind of chair or another. She occasionally sat in her swing. And obviously she would be in her (not bucket) car seat in the car. But otherwise she was either sitting with me or down on the floor, free to explore her own space. I believe whole heartedly in giving a toddler and even a baby freedom of movement. But it can be a little scary. Here’s how I gave Mac freedom of movement without also giving myself a heart attack.
A few people have mentioned that “The Nerd” doesn’t feature much on the blog. There isn’t any specific reason for that. It’s just a lot of Mac on the blog and I fill in the blanks with myself. But I couldn’t do it all alone. Right now, this blog is almost like my second full-time job. Andrew understands my passion and helps create the time and resources for me to work on it.
I have realized that having a supportive partner is the key to a strong family connection. Here are four qualities a great partnership has.
Isn’t it great when toddlers finally start to talk and you can have conversations with them? (Although sometimes you can’t understand them.) They say cute things and are excited to converse with you. But then comes the dreaded phase: your toddler asks why all the time. It is enough to drive anyone nuts! Here are three things you can do to keep your sanity.
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There are many toys that I think are worthwhile to give to a toddler. (Read my post about what a Montessori kid plays with.) Some are good for gross motor skills and some are good for fine motor skills. But one thing that I feel is so worthwhile to give to a toddler is a book. But what makes for good toddler books? There are two important qualities that toddler books should have.
I will throw in my usual disclaimer here that I believe in all things in moderation. Are a few books that don’t have the qualities listed below going to mentally damage your toddler? Of course not.
