we fly

We got back from "the land" last week and the girls flew for the first time.  Here are seven fly tips to ease your trip with the kiddies.  1.  Bring snacks like trail mix and fruit.  Or you could buy an airplane meal for $10.  2. Huh?  I said, ear plugs work.  They will slowly equalize pressure against the eardrum. Try Flents ear stopples eco-friendly ones.  3.  Stuff an extra shirt in your purse.  Your baby could throw up from the turbulence.  4.  Save money and stow your kid's luggage on the plane.  5.  Pass out the gum or sip water.  Swallowing and yawning as the plane is pressurized opens the ear-to-throat connection. 6.  Pack a small blanket for plane naps. 7.  Bring crayons, pencils and workbooks to pass the time.  The kiddies will love to pull the seat table to play.  Have fun!

Potty Breaks

So I woke up Monday morning. Nothing unusual about the day at 8am. Belle had a dry diaper so I put her on the the potty, she went and it clicked. I said to myself, "This is the day. I am going to potty train her." What came over me? I don't know. I have been encouraging her to sit on the potty for awhile. I have read the guide to potty training in three days. Not for me as I can't stay home three days straight with my wee ones, drag a potty chair in the kitchen and force the unnatural consumption of water and juice for 72 hours. I WILL go nuts. But here's my 7 potty training tips. 1. Buy 5 pairs of potty training pants. Eco-friendly ones are great. 2. Set your timer or cell phone to go off every hour for pee pee time. 3. Before you go out or they go to bed (which I did and learned) have them go potty right before. 4. Offer a favorite treat each time they wee (Belle gets 2 olives for pee and 4 for poo's) and clap madly with joy when they deliver. 5. Have them sleep wearing undies, diaper or pull ups and wake them up in the middle of the night for pee time and a treat. 6. Take extra sets of their clothes with you everywhere. 7. Be patient. Don't give up. Did I say be patient? Sigh.

I go potty

My little Belle woke up with a dry diaper this morning so I rushed her to the potty chair and she tinkled twice. Lately I have been throwing her on the potty before I dip her in the bathtub and when she wrinkles her brow because a numero dos is arriving. She seems to get it. I say "Belle do you have to go pee pee?"She answers then beelines to the bathroom. Most important tip I can provide in this training is be willing to drop what you are doing and unfasten the diaper for a quick try. Also make a routine of when you place them on potty and stick to it. Finally if a slightly older sibling or cousin is present, let them go potty on the big toilet and let your little one watch. Treats work too, so every time they take a spin at it and produce, reward with cheers and a little piece of organic candy. Here is an eco-friendly potty chair and other tips.

Tell me a story about teething

I spoke to a mom at daycare about Belle’s’s teething and she recommended I stop by a drugstore and buy some teething tablets by Hylands. These little white homeopathic tablets worked wonders combined with a little Ibuprofen and Hylands teething gel. I give her a dose of all of this right before she goes to sleep and then another dose around 2am or so. The teething gel is 100% natural with no dyes or coloring agents. The tablets are a homeopathic combination of natural ingredients that help with sleeping and decrease pain and irritability. She didn’t like the taste of them first so I dissolved two tablets in a small dish with a ½ teaspoon of water and then used a small dropper to insert the liquid into her mouth. She now likes the taste and will chew them like a vitamin. Hylands also carries ear ache tablets and drops which are quite spendy at around $17.00 a box but I heard they are worth it and much preferred then the dreaded antibiotics.

Positive Discipline

Positive time outs? Yes, your kid messes up and you give them time to "regroup". Not in a dark closet or in the bathroom on a cold floor but in their room with a teddy bear. Sometimes the child wants to be near you for the time out or by themselves. But give them time to think about what just happened in a positive space.

I just organized and attended a Parents Brown Bag at my work on this subject of positive discpline. "A misbehaving child is a discouraged child," our speaker said. She introduced and advised the balanced "backbone" parenting style of high kindess and high firmness. What really opened my eyes was making a list of all the things we wanted our children to be at 18 years of age. Our list included: sweet, lovable, responsible, independent, balanced, and secure. Of course we all want this little perfect person in the end but as Melanie showed us, we have to role model it first. Show them consistently the person we want them to be.