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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 67 Comments · by

Feeding Tuesday: Melamine Soup Spoon

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Melamine Soup SpoonHappy Tuesday, ladies! I say this as someone who spent a good hour this morning thinking it was Wednesday. After I dropped a full cup of coffee on the floor, which somehow got all over all the white cabinets. So: nowhere to go but up! Anyway: as the winter gets colder and soup becomes a must, you may want to consider getting a soup spoon like this one for your baby or toddler. (I stole this trick from one of the bloggers over at HelloBee!) The idea is that the wider base will help your kiddo actually get soup into his or her mouth — and because it’s melamine instead of porcelain, it can’t be broken quite so easily. Huzzah! You can get 4 spoons for $5.29 at Amazon, eligible for Prime. 1 X Set of 4 Black/Red Melamine Soup Spoon 5.5in L (L-2)

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Comments

  1. Canadian Nanny Agency? says

    Can anyone recommend a nanny/au pair agency to work with in Canada? I’ve been reading the posts about au pairs/nannys and want to explore this option. TIA!

  2. MDMom says

    I love these kinds of spoons but I’m a bit wary of using a melamine spoon to serve my kid. Has anyone come across any not made of melamine or porcelain? Are there metal versions of these?

  3. NewMomAnon says

    Is anyone else struggling with post-holiday re-entry into regular sleep and life routines? My kiddo, who used to go right to sleep at bedtime and then wake up happy 12 hours later, is now a screaming, tantruming wreck at bedtime and wakes up regularly throughout the night. She doesn’t have an ear infection (checked by pediatrician late last week), and the pattern doesn’t match her usual “teething” pattern – I think it’s just separation anxiety after such big schedule disruptions. All she wants is me when she wakes up.

    • nice cube says

      Yep! We are slogging through it also. Our 16 month old has been waking up at 2am and 6am expecting to nurse. We had to revert back to sleep training last night. Hoping tonight is better!

      • NewMomAnon says

        The idea of re-sleep training my verbal 2 year old who keeps asking for “Mama stay, ni ni here” and patting her pillow is just breaking my heart. But I may have to try it if things don’t even out.

        • Spirograph says

          Same. “No mommy, I’m not going to let you go. Stay here and snuggle me!” while hugging my arm. So adorable. So tempting to just go to bed at 7:30, too.

    • Anonymous says

      I’ve had success with toddler bedtime when I talk to them about what I’m going to do while they are going to sleep. So I say that “Mommy can’t lie down with you because mommy has to clean up the kitchen and get her bath and go to bed.” Usually little one has just cleaned up toys (to some extent) and had a bath so this routine is very relatable. I think sometime they think we are up having fun and playing with all their toys while they sleep.

      • shortperson says

        to be fair we do break out the chocolate after toddler bedtime. i always think that if she knew what we were up to she would be less cooperative in going to sleep.

        • Meg Murry says

          Anyone else here old enough to remember the Cosby show episode where the little girl is convinced that after she is sent to bed they break out the ice cream and pony?

          And yes, I totally wait until the kids are in bed to eat ice cream or chocolate – I’m not sharing!

      • MomAnon4This says

        We always say we’re talking “Boring Talk” and eating “Spicy Food” when it’s grown-up time.
        Sometimes we start inquiring about the “dow jones industrial average” and other really boring things in front of the kid, too.

  4. ANP says

    Help, mamas. I’m loading up our tablets (one kindle fire and one iPad) to amuse a 3 year old and a 6 year old on an 8-hour flight — but I’m having a hard time locating apps that are usable w/o a wifi connection (especially on the kindle). Any favorites?

    • NewMomAnon says

      These may be too young for your kids, but my daughter (age 2) likes the Duck Duck Moose apps of favorite nursery rhymes – I have used them without wi fi and they work fine. I also have a flash card app called “Learn Your World” that says a word, shows a picture, and writes it out (make sure to download all the sets of flashcards while you are wi-fi connected). My daughter loves to repeat the words; your older one might be able to pick up some of the spelling, alphabet identification, etc.

    • Meg Murry says

      -Angry Birds and all it’s iterations – my 4 and 8 year old LOVE Angry Birds.
      -Duplo Trains
      -Any kind of matching/memory game – mine is called “Fun with Animals”. “Sight words match” would be good for the 6 year old too
      -Kids Connect the Dots
      -Any drawing app, or take a selfie and morph it with weird effects is fun for a while
      -If you have headphones, Animal Piano
      -Hey That’s my Fish
      -Sprinkle
      -Plants vs Zombies or Where’s my water or Despicable Me for the 6 year old (but only one of them – they take up a ton of storage space)

      See if your library has Overdrive for ebooks and audiobooks, and if so load up on picture books. The 6 year old might like to listen to a slightly longer ebook – my son started really getting into that at around 7 or so.

      Make sure you turn off “store unused apps in the cloud” or some kind of setting like that, and you open the app within the profile you intent to use it before you leave WiFi. For some reason, Kindle Fire re-downloaded every app that I downloaded in “adult mode” a second time in order to use it in “kid mode”.

      And if you don’t already have one – a portable battery pack like one of these: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-battery-packs/

    • Anonymous says

      Things I know:

      1. if you fly jetblue, you get free amazon prime streaming (!!!)
      2. If you buy movies through amazon, you can download the amazon app and download the movie to your phone/tablet for watching offline
      3. Pat the Bunny (my 2 year old is thrilled)

    • JJ says

      There’s a Veggie Tales singalong app on our Kindle fire that my kids love. Any piano/musical instrument apps are also winners.

      If you have a Prime account, I also think you can download free Prime shows/TV to your Kindle Fire/iPad. For our last flight, we just stocked up on Bubble Guppies, Umi Zoomi, etc.

      • mascot says

        Yeah, there are a decent number of Prime shows that you can download for offline use. These are usually only good for x number of hours so you may have to reload before the return flight.
        Also, do a couple of test runs to make sure they work without first needing to connect to wifi. We’ve had that happen where the first time we loaded the show/movie to start the viewing period, it wanted to connect to wifi. So you may need to “activate” them right before you get on the plane.

        • JJ says

          Yes! We were burned on our first flight with a kid when we realized the Kindle wouldn’t load up downloaded show/movie without first “activating” it on WiFi.

          No idea why it needs to do that, but on the plane with an annoyed toddler is not the time to find that out.

    • Lorelai Gilmore says

      My 5 year old loves the apps by Toca Boca. No reading skills required, no educational value, but lots of good entertainment. They’re all pretty good. (And I personally can waste some significant time on Toca Hair Salon.) We also like the Paw Patrol drawing app, and the Homer app is good for actual educational value for the older one.

      • Jdubs says

        My 4 year old loves Toca Boca too (currently she lives Toca Lab)! Even my 2 year old can be entertained on flights with Toca Pet Dr and Toca Kitchen.

      • jlf says

        My 2.5 year old also loves Toca Boca and Sago Mini apps. I think the companies are somehow related and Sago Mini apps skew younger.

  5. Anon says

    I am touring a daycare tomorrow and have never done this before. My baby will begin daycare at 12 weeks. What are the types of questions I should ask? TIA!

    • RDC says

      How do they handle naps? Do they have a separate space for naps that’s slightly darker/quieter? Do they allow pacis? Swaddles? Lovies?

      Are they used to handling breastmilk?

      Are teachers required to be vaccinated?

      Do they provide food (once older)? Milk? Organic?

      How do they handle pickups/drops offs? Will your regular teacher be there or will it be a floater? (Eg we usually see the regular teacher at pickups but not drop offs. You want to have a regular POC who can talk about your child’s day, not someone who’s only been in the room for 15 minutes.)

      How much turnover do they have?

      Where do they evacuate to in case of emergency and how do they communicate with parents when that happens?

      How do they communicate with parents generally? Is there a weekly newsletter? Could you get added prior to your child starting? Might give you a feel for how things are managed. One center sent daily emails with pictures, which was nice.

      What’s their late pick up policy? Their sick pick up policy?

      How much is tuition? Are there extras (our center has soccer and dance classes for older kids, but they cost extra). Do parents help with fundraising?

      Just a few things to get you started thinking. I think a lot of it is also how much you “click” with the center and the teachers.

      • Meg Murry says

        +1 to all this, plus

        What is the calendar? Are they closed for all the same holidays as public schools and you’ll wind up using all your vacation days for childcare coverage?

        How long is the waitlist? Will I have a spot at 12 weeks, or is that laughable unless you got on the waitlist the day you got a positive test? How much do you have to pay to hold a spot?

        But a huge part of it is the feel of it. Are teachers interacting with the kids, or are they looking harried while dealing with too many kids who are crying while hanging out in baby containing devices (note – some parts of the day like feeding time this is somewhat unavoidable, but it shouldn’t be the bulk of the day). Is the center clean and inviting?

      • FVNC says

        This is a great list. I’m touring daycares/pre-schools next week in our soon-to-be new city, and I’m going to make a note of these questions even though I’ve been through it once before!

    • Anon in NYC says

      Certain things like ratio of teachers to infants, which are likely regulated by your city or state, but always good to know. In NYC (possibly NYS) the ratio is 4:1, and the max number of infants in a room is 8, but some places were grandfathered in to previous regulations. Also, definitely try to do some online research into the facility and make sure its licensing is up-to-date and if you can find what, if any, violations they have had in the past few years.

      For me, the feeling I got from the place was very important. Does it seem organized or disorganized? Do the kids seem generally happy? Are the classrooms bright and cheerful?

      I also found it helpful to ask about the daycare’s policy of moving kids from an infant room to the 1’s/toddler room – was it based on their age, developmental milestones (walking? Some kids don’t walk until after 1 year), etc. What was the transition process like? Also, what kind of curriculum/projects they have with the kids. Most of the time infants are not going to be partaking in, say, gym time, but my daughter’s daycare has some broad objectives of things to do with the kids. For example, they will do some art projects with infants to introduce them to new tactile sensations.

      I found searching for daycares to be a bit overwhelming, and it was helpful for me to go back and do additional tours after I had the baby.

    • EB0220 says

      I only skimmed the previous answers, so I apologize if this is a repeat. If you are breastfeeding or plan to try, you should ask about the center’s policies on breastmilk. When can it be reused if a bottle isn’t finished? How do they handle “reserves”? (Some places require formula, some allow frozen bags of breastmilk to be left in the freezer.) Are the infant caregivers familiar with breastfed infants and how their eating habits can differ from formula-fed babies (i.e. slower flow, less volume)? In general, I found infant teachers to be very uneducated regarding breastfeeding and breastfed babies and breastmilk. It’s my pet peeve!

    • Anon says

      What is the background check procedures for teachers (maybe this is the crazy former criminal defense attorney in me)?

      What does their security system entail? Is it a controlled access building both ways (so strangers can’t get in and kids can’t wander out) and do they have video cameras?

      Do they provide meals and snacks?

    • NavyAttorney says

      You didn’t say if it was an in-home or not. If so, is there backup care?

      Whether formula or breastfeeding – do they want the bottles to come prepared, or do they do that? More for in-home; commercial probably has a policy that there is no pouring or mixing.

      What is the diapering policy? Most won’t do reusable diapers. Can you leave a box of disposable diapers or must you only bring them daily?

  6. Anonymous says

    Older kid sleep question: my 4 year old, who has always slept alone, had a nightmare (maybe his first) earlier this week, after which I let him sleep with me. That was apparently a bad choice because now he won’t sleep alone. This is seriously interfering with my schedule and his (because when he is in my room he wakes up when I get up at 5:30 to exercise and get ready for work) and needs to stop. He is convinced something is going to grab him in his bed (which is what happened in the nightmare). He already has a nightlight and a flashlight that he sleeps with, and we leave the door to his room (which is across the hall from our bedroom) open. I’ve tried explaining the nightmare wasn’t real, but he doesn’t believe me.

    • Betty says

      Ugh. We have been there: nightmares and thunderstorms are our undoing. My advice: you can’t fight fantasy with reality. It won’t work. Fight fantasy with fantasy, e.g. magic monster spray, magic bracelet, new magic stuffed animal that comes to life when he goes to sleep to protect him. We had a magic bracelet to protect against a “dangerous” moth from my son’s dreams. If you have a pet that can sleep in the room, the pet can become the nighttime protector. My son was worried that dragons were going to attack our house when he went to sleep, so our Newfie became a dragon fighter after we all went to bed. Play it up and it can work!

      • Anon says

        Just wanted to say I love Newfies! We do rescue (mostly Great Pyrs, but also pull related breeds) and fostered a Newfoundland who was such an awesome dog! A Newfie would make an excellent dragon fighter :)

    • NewMomAnon says

      Along the same lines: my little brother often got scared at night, and my parents found a stuffed animal that had a positionable face so you could make it growly or happy. The bedtime ritual was to make the animal look growly so that it would scare away the bad dreams. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped. I used to put an “invisible lion” on the end of the bed when I babysat one little boy, so it could protect him from bad dreams.

      Personally, the best nightmare recovery device for me is to visualize the dream ending differently; I have a big stick and scare the spiders away! I grow really tall and stomp on the bad guys! I shout really loud and they all run away!

  7. Momata says

    Wait – do y’all’s toddlers and babies eat hot foods? I had this same reaction the few times Kat has mentioned giving her sons hot beverages when they are sick. My 2yo would lose her mind if I tried to serve her a hot beverage or soup, and all food must be at or below room temperature. Is this just her?

    • anon says

      Our baby eats warm foods. We don’t give him actual HOT foods, just warmish, but we will warm up soup or something on occasion. We also give him cold soup if it’s too much trouble to warm it up, and he’s fine with that.

    • Anon in NYC says

      My daughter doesn’t seem to like cold, straight-from-the-fridge food/water. She prefers room temperature or warm food and beverages.

      • Meg Murry says

        We started warming my oldest’s milk as a way to get him to drink it when we transitioned from formula and bottles.

        8 years old and he still prefers his milk (especially chocolate) warmed up to at least room temperature if not actually hot. Same with the youngest. They only get it that way now first thing the morning or after coming in from playing outside in the cold though – the rest of the day it is cold from the fridge.

        We eat a lot of well seasoned food, so my kids differentiate between “temperature hot” and “spicy hot” – I wish English had clearer words for this. Husband and I say caliente and picoso, but kids haven’t quite picked up our Spanglish.

    • JJ says

      My kids have no idea what “soup” is and the one time I tried to give it to them, they refused to try it because it was hot. They will eat regular food warm, though.

      Last night, my 3 year old told me his food temperature wasn’t “just right” and he couldn’t eat it. When I asked if it needed to be more hot or more cold, he told me it needed to be more “just right.” Sigh.

      • Anonymous says

        Sometimes I think life will be so much easier once my twins can talk. Then I hear stories like this. Oh well. Screaming and pointing it is.

    • NewMomAnon says

      My toddler doesn’t eat anything but graham crackers and small amounts of fruit right now, so I serve her everything – hot, cold, or otherwise. I’m going to eat all of it as leftovers anyway.

    • Anonymous says

      My two-year-old LOVES chicken noodle soup. His older sibling wouldn’t touch it. Just depends on the kid, I guess.

      • Anonymous says

        Agree my 2 year old is a big fan of soup, particularly chicken noodle.

    • Amelia Bedelia says

      definitely depends on the kid. my toddler won’t eat food unless it is very hot (food fresh from the stove) or very cold (cucumbers). She turns her nose up at room temperature.

    • Cold Food says

      My 2.5 year old only eats cold food. As in, last night she ate cold chili right out of the fridge and prefers cold hot dogs. She will scream if she sees us try and put her food in the microwave and will only eat freshly cooked food if it’s been in the fridge first.

    • NavyAttorney says

      My kid does this – room temperature or straight from the fridge. I love it – no warming up anything!!! She must’ve eaten food that was too hot at one point, but I don’t remember it and she can’t articulate it. She’s 3 1/2.

  8. ELL says

    My 18 month old wakes up with wet pjs every morning. His size 5 7th Gen. overnight diapers are not doing the job. He wears a size 4 or 5 diaper during the day and I think a size 6 overnight diaper would be too baggy. I’ve tried double diapering. And I’ve tried giving him his bottle a bit before bedtime and changing him one last time before lights out. None of that has solved the leaking problem.

    Can anyone recommend a really great overnight diaper? The one caveat: I am pregnant and super bothered by smells. I bought a package of Huggies diapers and couldn’t stand to be in the car with them. So the diapers need to be effective and unscented. Does such a thing exist?

    • Anon in NYC says

      I have not tried these, but Honest has recently come out with new overnight diapers. Perhaps that’s worth a shot?

    • anonymama says

      I’ve found pampers work the best, for sheer volume they can hold.

      • Maddie Ross says

        This. Granted I have a girl, but we’ve only ever used pampers and have never had a nighttime leak.

        • Anonymous says

          +1 to Pampers. Specifically, Baby Dry Overnights. Also, SIZE UP! The diapers won’t be too baggy! You just velcro them super tight around your baby’s waist.

    • Anonymous says

      I’d try sizing up to a 6 before you spend a lot of money on new brands. The sizing isn’t all that different and the 6 holds more.

      • MDMom says

        Agree with this. My 7.5 month old wears overnight diapers in a size much too big based on weight and certainly bigger than his daytime diapers (different brand). It works, at least 90% of time. We use Huggies overnights though. The doublers also worked but gave him diaper rash.

    • Cdn lawyer says

      Maybe try a cloth diaper cover on top of a regular diaper? No smell issue for sure

    • AEK says

      Bambo Nature. They are pricey but amazing and at least somewhat eco-friendlier (since you’re already using 7th Gen). And they don’t smell, I promise!

    • NavyAttorney says

      Consider how he’s sleeping – is he sleeping on his tummy so the pee is collecting in front? I remember hearing that some brands are better for stomach-sleepers…unfortunately I don’t know which!

      • NavyAttorney says

        Also consider stopping the bottle. I know, easier said than done; I could only transition my kid to water.

  9. anon says

    Target up&up diapers are unscented. We use the overnights in a size up from daytime and they are pretty good. Not 100% but I don’t expect that with a stomach-sleeping boy.

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