Waiting to go Outside

I am sure that I am not alone in thinking that the arrival of Spring is much later than I would like it to be this year. Sure, it has already started, according to the calendar. The calendar is blissfully unaware that it’s still pretty cold and there are still about ten inches of snow covering much of my yard. Each day I wake up hopeful, wondering whether it will be the day that the sun comes out for so long that it melts away all that remains of winter. Ordinarily I would be concerned if the remaining snow were … Continue reading →

Toddlers are Full of Surprises

Life with young children is certainly full of surprises. For example, you might find a surprise behind the sofa and wonder when your little one stashed it back there, because you can not remember the last time you had that type of snack in the house. There could be a surprise on the bathroom floor, because learning how to use the potty does not always guarantee that the potty will be used in the suggested manner. The other day, I found a surprise on one of the walls in the living room. At first I was in denial. No, it … Continue reading →

Parenting Can Change Your Perspective in Surprising Ways

This evening, I found myself doing something that I had never imagined myself doing. Lately, I have been spending the hour after the boys go to bed doing things just for me, like reading a book and relaxing with a cup of tea. Tonight was different, though. I spent that hour cleaning as much of my house as I could. At first, I felt like cleaning for that hour meant that I was giving up my precious leisure time. That thought did not make me happy. Later in the evening (after I had cleaned), I realized that tonight, cleaning my … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Temperament : Part 2

Yesterday, I talked a little bit about how the difference between introverted and extroverted personalities can impact family life. Today, I will go into a little more detail about how parents can meet the temperamental needs of their children without ignoring their own temperamental needs. As I mentioned yesterday, I am an introvert. However, as a stay – at – home mom to a three year old and a ten month old, I am almost never alone. Ever. Because I need time to myself in order to feel my best, it is no wonder that I often feel exhausted and … Continue reading →

My Issues Do Not Have to Become Their Issues

As a parent, I often think about what I can do to help my boys avoid struggling with the same things that I have struggled with and continue to struggle with throughout my life. I have a good life, and I am grateful that it is as good as it is. However, no one is perfect and each of us has our own list of things that we struggle with. I have overcome some of the things that I had trouble with as a child. For example, I had some pretty intense sibling rivalry going on with my sister. As … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Sensory Processing Disorder

One thing that parents of toddlers and other small children may be reading or hearing a lot about lately is Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD. Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological condition that affects the brain’s ability to process sensory information. For a person with SPD, things that most of us do not even notice, like the tag on the neck of our shirt or the crinkling of a potato chip bag across the room can trigger a reaction ranging from discomfort enough to cause complaining to complete overwhelm, including tantrums. When a child is a toddler, it can sometimes … Continue reading →

Help Your Toddler Avoid the Flu

Flu season is here, and this year it seems to be especially nasty. It is no fun to get the flu as an adult, and I cannot even imagine what it feels like to a toddler. Of course, parents want to do all that they can to help their little ones (and themselves) stay well during flu season. Here are a few things that you can do to increase your chances of getting through the season flu – free. Making sure that your toddler gets plenty of rest and eats a balanced diet are things that are important every day, … Continue reading →

If You Listen and Observe, Toddlers Tell You What They Need

Today, I had some rather interesting conversations with Dylan after we went grocery shopping. It is normally one of his favorite things to do, as he loves going out and seeing people. Today, we went to a store that we had never been to before. It was a co-operative market where I was hoping to get some specialty items that I need for some Paleo recipes that I want to try. I had high hopes for our experience at the store after seeing (and parking in) a special parking spot with a sign that read “reserved for shoppers with young … Continue reading →

A Very Toddler Holiday

The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, but parents of toddlers know that even with all of the smiles, there are likely to be a few tears, tantrums, and other trouble spots. That is okay. At times like these, it is important to remember that the things that your toddler is likely to remember the most are the good times and not the bad. I wish that I was able to offer some magic formula for holiday success. You know, the kind of thing where if you do a certain thing, the kids will enjoy every moment of … Continue reading →