As a lot of my friends are singing the potty-training blues right now, I figured I’d share a little insight. These are the five potty-training books, written just for children, that I think every parent should invest in. A word of warning: no matter how good the potty-training books are, you’re sure to hit some bumps in the road along the way. The best advice I can give you is to take it all in stride and keep going. There is no feeling like when your little one finally succeeds. There’s going to come a point when it all starts to make sense to them and they just “get it.” That’s the first … [Read more...]
Public Breastfeeding vs. Public Urination: My Ethical Dilemma
Our family’s most memorable summer road trip occurred when our two daughters were quite young -- and quite needy, as it turns out. My wife and I were taking the family to our hometown, a three-hour drive away. The first two hours went smoothly. My 3-month-old drifted between sleep and blank stares, and my 3-year-old napped before starting to watch a movie. We had recently indulged in a minivan with a DVD player, which was unthinkable a few years previous but I admit was wonderful for family trips. Granted, I had explained to my daughter that the mysterious video machine only worked when we … [Read more...]
Why I Chose to Potty Train with Pull-Ups Training Pants
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Pull-Ups Training Pants. All thoughts and opinions are the author’s. My toddler’s favorite word is “No.” He says it a lot. A LOT. It’s his automatic answer to everything and sometimes he even just randomly says it. He’s not big on changes, hates transitions, and if something isn’t his idea he will automatically resist it. Now throw in a dash of always wanting control of any given situation with just a little sprinkle of “Jeez, Dad, I have better things to do” and you get the idea of what we’re dealing with here. Yeah. Potty training this kid … [Read more...]
Make Potty Time Fun Time During Training
Disclosure: This potty time post is sponsored by Pull-Ups® Training Pants. All thoughts and opinions are the author's. In a parent’s life, you see true joy and excitement in your child’s eye at a few special moments: when he is presented with his first birthday cake, taking his first steps or, in my son’s case, when he saw a box full of Pull-Ups® Training Pants with Mickey Mouse on them. That’s right, my son was ecstatic about opening the big box that arrived with enough training pants to get him ready to join the Pull-Ups® Potty Partnership. This box and its contents are the … [Read more...]
So You Think Your Kid is Done Potty Training
My son has reached the state of potty training they don't tell you about. As new parents, the end goal seems to be the mythical day when they make it to the toilet and you don't have to change a diaper. Congratulations, you're potty trained! No. Not by a long shot. There are actually more steps after that. That's the part we don't talk about enough. There is the transition to underwear from pullups. Then there is the issue of making it through the night without wetting the bed. (Remind your child to use the toilet before bedtime and encourage them to get up in the night if they think they … [Read more...]