Drawing on Walls

Last year my mom’s group went to the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, Texas. The outing was called “StrollArt at the Modern.” It was a great time with my friends appreciating modern art. For Jessie’s second Christmas her daddy and I gave her a floor pad and crayons that promote proper hand position. I thought she’d be eager to color. She didn’t show much interest. We bought a number of Aquadoodle books and water pens for a previous foster placement. The former foster daughter loved watching the colors come up with water, dry, and then start again. I … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Beer Don’t Mix

I’m the mother of a toddler. When Jessie first started on table food, she would eat everything. Thanksgiving at my parents’ house just after she turned one was an exciting exploration in tastes. Jessie’s first cousin once removed, who is about six-and-a-half months older, said “no” to a lot and ate little. Meanwhile Jessie shoveled food off of my plate into her mouth. I’m now blessed with the dining habits of a two-year-old. I swear that toddlers live on air. She wants a lot of different foods throughout the day, but doesn’t eat very much. However, she’s a good drinker. … Continue reading →

Going for Walks

We’ve lived in our house for nearly four years. The property contains an acre of land. The small community and large lot are what drew us to this location. The housing development is quiet and our neighbors are nice. Our toddler daughter Jessie loves to go outside and run around the large backyard. She has plenty of room to run. Unfortunately, she likes to run to the neighbors’ houses. The neighbors who have children have very interesting things in their yards. These things are particularly interesting to our toddler. She is especially obsessed with the battery-operated John Deere ride-on truck … Continue reading →

The Big Girl Bed

I love sleep. I would sleep in late and take multiple naps throughout the day, if I had my way. However, I don’t enjoy that luxury. I’m the mother of a toddler. When my daughter was a baby, we could put her in her crib at any time and she’d flop over on her tummy, clutch her blanket, and put her two middle fingers in her mouth. I’d turn on her CD player with lullabies or stories and make her Twilight Turtle shine its stars on the ceiling. She would fall asleep with no problems. We were so fortunate. My … Continue reading →

Difficulty Sleeping

My daughter Jessie has been having issues with sleeping lately. I feel so bad for her, especially since she was always a good sleeper. Jessie joined our family when she was nine months old. She transitioned beautifully. We could put her in her crib and she’d flop over onto her tummy and sleep peacefully for 12 hours or more. Pumpkin was a foster baby in our home when Jessie came. Since Jessie has been here, four children have come and gone. We’ve done our best to cushion the blow of changes in the family. We reiterate how she is our … Continue reading →

Runaway Toddlers

There must be other parents out there with runaway toddlers. I know I am one. My son disappeared for ten minutes in a store when he went shopping with his grandparents. Anytime my son has the opportunity to get free, he runs off. He runs away from us in stores, in the back yard and even in the house. He is just hyper and wanting to burn energy by running around. He doesn’t realize the dangers involved with running off away from adult supervision. We’ve taken several precautions in order to protect my son. We hold his hand firmly when … Continue reading →

Screaming Toddlers

It seems that I am always telling my toddler to use his “inside voice.” I don’t know why he feels the need to scream on a regular basis. I have considered the possible reasons that toddlers scream and how to cope with each reason. One of the reasons that toddlers often scream is because they are not getting their way. This is often the case with my son. For a young child, he seems to have many anger issues. I’ve even wondered if I could find an anger management class for toddlers. When my son isn’t getting his way and … Continue reading →

Toddler Behavior in Restaurants

We’ve all seen screaming toddlers in nice, quiet restaurants. Before I was a mother, I resented the parents who took their children into the restaurant and didn’t make them behave properly. Now, I sympathize with them. I am one of them. It isn’t that I don’t try to make my toddler behave properly when we are in a restaurant. I try. It’s just that I am not always successful in my attempts. My son’s behavior seems to depend on a number of factors: fatigue and hunger. One of the things that I learned quickly is that my son hates waiting … Continue reading →

Toddler Eating Habits

Many toddlers are picky eaters. However, I haven’t met a toddler who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese. I also haven’t met a toddler who will eat an item from each of the food groups on a daily basis. According to my son’s pediatrician, as long as he is eating when he is hungry, I shouldn’t worry. The problem I have with this philosophy is that our pediatrician isn’t doing my grocery shopping. Last month, my son was determined to eat macaroni and cheese for almost every meal. I could add green beans, peas or potatoes to the meal and he … Continue reading →

Time Outs for Toddlers

To say I am a firm believer in time outs for toddlers is an understatement. I have tried everything to get my son to behave and listen to what I tell him. He is a very strong-willed, hard-headed, stubborn child. He is full of energy and determination. Consequently, he is always getting into trouble. My son’s most recent reaction to getting into trouble is to smile and come over and hug me. I recently told him, “I don’t want a hug. I want you to listen and to do what you are told.” At that point, he leaned in and … Continue reading →