Today, Dylan, Blake, and I went out for a walk after dinner. There was still plenty of daylight left and I thought that it would be a nice way to relax and unwind as we got closer to bedtime. Usually when we all go out for a walk, I wear Blake in a front pack and Dylan rides in a jogging stroller. That is how we started out. About four minutes into the walk, Dylan started to get upset. I asked him what he needed, and he told me that he wanted to get out of the stroller. I tried … Continue reading →

One of the most amazing things about watching a toddler grow and develop is watching their language and comprehension skills emerge. I never realized until I became a mom how absolutely fascinating something like that could be. It seems like Dylan has been talking a lot for a while, but I know that it has not been that long because he is only about twenty seven months old. Perhaps I have been thinking a lot about language development lately because Dylan is going through an intellectual growth spurt, which is common for children to experience at about his age. It … Continue reading →

Has your toddler developed a very strong preference for one specific food? If so, don’t panic – it will not last forever and they will be okay. A few months ago, I had read an article about toddlers and their eating habits. After reading the article, I gave thanks that at that time Dylan was a very good eater and would eat almost anything that was served at the table. A few weeks ago, I found myself giving thanks that I had read the aforementioned article because Mr. Balanced Diet suddenly developed a very strong food preference – for oatmeal. … Continue reading →

My toddler nephew is obsessed with those 100-calorie cookie and snack packs. My sister-in-law started buying them to take to work, but one day she got caught in a traffic jam and was forced to use them to calm down my screaming nephew, who wanted out of his carseat. He’s been hooked ever since. The word popular doesn’t do justice to the handy snack packs. They are everywhere! In fact, a recent survey found that there are more than 150 different kinds of snack packs on the market right now and last year their sales topped the $200 million mark. … Continue reading →

Is your toddler eating enough vegetables? If the answer is “no,” doctors say it’s more than likely because you are not consuming proper amounts of healthy veggies. According to a new study, only 32% of adults in the United States meet the minimum requirement for vegetable consumption? This, despite the fact that there are numerous studies, which recommend that Americans eat more vegetables. What’s more, researchers point out that toddlers learn by example and if mom and dad are not eating veggies, then there’s a good chance tots won’t want to eat them either. Or, in many cases, since parents … Continue reading →

With older kids back in school, now is a great time to bond with your toddler. However, instead of simply reading books or singing songs, mix-up your routine by adding these fun and educational activities that your toddler will love to play over and over: EGG MATCH Materials: 12 plastic Easter eggs Glue Egg carton Directions: Use leftover plastic eggs from Easter (about one dozen) making sure that you have at least five different colors. Glue or tape the two parts of each egg together. Encourage your child to sort the eggs by color and place them into the carton. … Continue reading →

Imagine leaving your beloved toddler with people, who are getting paid money to watch him, only to receive a phone call from police saying that your child is lucky to be alive. How would you respond? The words “fear” and “rage” come to my mind. Unfortunately, for parents of two toddler boys left at an Anaheim, California YMCA day care center the aforementioned scenario was not hypothetical. According to reports, numerous calls came into the Anaheim police department last week when residents noticed two young boys walking near railroad tracks. The two-year-old boys reportedly escaped from the YMCA’s outdoor playground … Continue reading →

If your toddler is anything like mine, then any book will do in a pinch (provided you insert sound effects, character-appropriate voices, and let him/her be in charge of turning the pages). However, now that summer is here and the busy travel season has kicked into high gear, I thought it would be worth reviewing a few travel-related books geared specifically to toddlers. Whether you are traveling across town or across the Pacific to visit family and friends this summer, consider packing the following books to read along the way: “Take-Off” by Nicola Baxter This colorful book is recommended for … Continue reading →