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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
dc mom anon says
What are your favorite toddler winter shoes? I am not sure why I am totally blanking on this. Do I get my daughter (2 year old) boots? I thought I read somewhere that toddlers should have flexible soles and do not need ankle support/restrictions – the way that boots or high tops restrict ankle movement.
Anonymous says
I don’t think you need boots for everyday. My kids have always just had regular sneakers (maybe of a warmer variety, but the same brands I would normally buy) all winter long, with snow boots for when it, you know, snows. The hardest part for me with snow boots is figuring out if they actually fit.
NewMomAnon says
I live in a snowy climate, and my daughter wears snow boots only when she is going to be actively playing in the snow – otherwise, she wears her normal sneakers. Although this will be the first winter she is walking a lot (last winter she was still so young that I carried her a lot more), so I may change my tune.
PhilanthropyGirl says
Do you have toddler snowboots that you like? We are moving from a moderately snowy region to a very snowy region and I know my 2 YO will want to be out to play often. I hated the pair we had last year – I could hardly get them on even though they fit his foot.
anon says
Kamik snowbug
AnonMN says
+1 for Kamik snowbug, super easy on/off and really warm.
NewMomAnon says
Kamik.
MSJ says
Bogs. So easy to get on and off and also works as rain boots
EB0220 says
We like Bogs, too.
Betty says
Both of my kiddos have Bogs. We are in a climate that because of cold and snow, the boots are worn on a daily basis and sneakers are back-up and rarely worn (except to stuff like PE).
Anon says
+1 for Bogs, keep kiddo’s feet warm and dry and they can put them on easily by themselves!
Anonymous says
My daughter at 2 wore either running shoes or knock-off Ugg boots all winter, unless she was playing in the snow. I’m not in a particularly snowy climate, so I just got her snow boots from Target. The fake Uggs were also from Target and were great – warm, cozy, went with everything and could take the place of socks on particularly “challenging” mornings. Bonus that she got to the point she could put them on herself too since no ties/zippers/Velcro.
Jdubs says
Slip on Merrell clogs for daily use and snow boots for playing or walking in deep snow.
lsw says
Too early to think about Christmas presents? This is our baby’s first Christmas, so I was thinking it might be nice to get my parents something baby-related. My dad especially is virtually impossible to buy for so I thought it might be fun to get him something. (This is my parents’ first grandbaby, they have a granddaughter in my stepdaughter but met her when she was 5 or 6). What are some fun ideas? My parents love board games so I got my mom the kid version of her favorite board game (he can’t play it for a few years obviously, but thought it was a fun idea). My dad sold his law practice and has retired as a sort of “gentleman farmer” (bought a property, does large-scale gardening/small-scale farming) so I was trying to think of getting him something like matching hats with the baby? Are there farm hats? John Deere hats? Any ideas welcome!
PhilanthropyGirl says
I ordered my parents and inlaws Shutterfly books of baby’s newborn photos, along with photos of them and the baby.
There are also a lot of sweet books about grandparents – the one I ended up with is religious, called Grandma’s Kisses – but there are a number of nice ones on the market. My MIL reads hers to my LO over Skype – it is precious.
I know you can find matching parent/child shirts on Amazon – perhaps they have some that would be suitable for grandparents, too?
In House Lobbyist says
All grandparents and great grandparents get a photo book and calendar every year and they act like it is the best gift EVER. Even my grandmother who never expresses joy or delight told me she wanted to be buried with the fleece blanket I made on Snapfish with kid pictures. (We are Southern so that is a good thing in case anyone is wondering!). My son was the first boy and my dad went out and bought all these John Deere tractors and dump trucks and things. That would go well with the farm theme.
Famouscait says
My dad sounds similar to yours and he loves running my kiddo around in a tiny, kid-sized wheelbarrow. It’s not a toy – it’s got the inflatable treaded tire and sturdy steel basin with wooden handles. It was an impulse buy from Lowes.
RDC says
This is hilarious and I’m sure my dad would love it too – might just make the Christmas list!
EB0220 says
Oh, I love this. My dad used to do this when we were kids. I bet he’d love it with his granddaughters too.
PhilanthropyGirl says
My dad has a wooden wagon that he loves to pull the boys up and down the street in – in bad weather it’s been pulled around the basement too!
Baby Clothes says
We are expecting a boy after having two girls. I was sorting all the baby clothes I dutifully saved this weekend. Does anyone have thoughts on what “girl” clothes will work for a baby boy? Is there a difference in cut between girl and boy clothes? Will something like black leggings look weird on an infant boy?
I’m planning on getting rid of a the dresses and some other obvious gendered items. But I’m sure there will be times when he ends up in pink PJs. I’m also guessing he can wear more of his sisters’ clothes when he is very little, and less when he is walking. Any advice appreciated!
lucy stone says
I have lots of hand me downs from our nephews and have bought some boy clothes because I liked the pattern. No obvious differences in the little sizes other than the boy side-snap onesies snap on a different side.
Anonymous says
My baby boys wore Gap leggings till they were about 9 months. I think they are essentially the same as the baby girl versions.
AnonMN says
I keep my boys in leggings until they are walking steadily, and frequently shop in the baby gap/old navy girl section for these. I haven’t noticed any difference in sizing, although I am told it will start at some point.
Anon says
I buy mainly boy clothes for my daughter (and then hand them down to my son). Differences start around 18 months and it tends to be in fit – girls clothes are cut MUCH tighter and restrictive. Around 3T, the boys will also be a slightly bigger cut in addition to the fit.
The most obnoxious part are the sayings. I refuse to put stupid words on my kids, and that’s much harder than the gender. Finding clothes that don’t say “Sparkle through Life” or “Future Lady Killer” is way harder than you would think, particularly at national stores like a Target or Old Navy.
lucy stone says
Two questions:
1. Our baby will start daycare next month. She’ll be 12 weeks old when she starts and I am having a horrible time with this. How do I make sure it’s a smooth transition for her? Wait to burst into tears until I get in the car? I’m working now but my parents or husband are caring for her when I’m not at work.
2. I know babies aren’t supposed to wear bulky snowsuits in their carseats, so how do you keep your LOs warm? Our average winter temperature is about 15.
EB0220 says
With both kids, I visited a few days before their start date to go over details and bring in supplies. Then, on their first day, I dropped them off as quickly as possible and hightailed it out of there before I started to cry.
H says
Yes, definitely do a trial run the week or 2 before. I was really nervous too, but I did a couple half days the week before I went back to work and felt so much better about it.
Kelly C. says
To follow up:
1–This is just going to be tough, but you have to trust you have made the right decision when you found a good daycare for her.
2–Use blankets or one of those fuzzy things that goes over the carseat (not under the straps). Also, for really cold days, preheat the car if possible. You can have the car warming up while you get baby ready to go so that the car is a little bit warm when you get going.
October says
Re: 2, do you use a bucket carseat? If so, put baby in a warm fleece coat and hat, and after buckling her in (in the house), tuck blankets around her – we used to do a thin muslin one followed by a fluffier one. I know they also make fleece “covers” for carseats, but I’ve heard those aren’t the safest because they compromise airflow. My little guy also would have hated that… he likes to look around and not feel confined. But we did sometimes drape another blanket over the seat for the walk out to the car.
Honestly, I’m more worried about this winter with a toddler, since we no longer have the bucket seat to cozy him up in!
PhilanthropyGirl says
I’ve been thinking this on the toddler too – we don’t have a garage, and it seems crazy to bundle him up for a 30 second walk to the car, unbundle him, and then rebundle him for another 30 second walk from the parking lot.
Is this really the only option?
Edna Mazur says
I usually hold my toddlers coat around him and carry him rather than put it on all the way. Good enough for the jaunt to the car. Once he is strapped in his car seat I put the coat over him like a blanket. He will usually throw it off when the car is warm enough.
Meg Murry says
we would my kids in a fall weight fleece coat, hat and mittens, and if it was too cold for that to be sufficient for the run from the house to car or car to daycare we would wrap them in a fleece blanket and carry them, or tuck them under our (unbuttoned) coats. If the car needed to be defrosted or dug out before driving it, the kids generally stayed in the house while we did that, so the car was at least slightly warmed up. The handful of days it was too cold for that last year my older son’s elementary school was closed so we just kept both kids home.
Betty says
Yes, this is what we do. With two kids, it is impossible to wrap and carry each one and they are too heavy. Now that they are a little older (3 and 5), they know to take their winter jackets off before buckling into their car seats. We are trying a LLBean down jacket that can be worn in the car seat this year for the oldest. Also, my biggest recommendation is that you have a nice warm jacket because the multiple bundle/unbundle episodes means that you will the one standing in the cold most of the time!
PhilanthropyGirl says
Thanks! Sounds better than the constant on-again off-again routine I’ve been envisioning.
anne-on says
I generally start the car about 5-10 minutes before we leave so it has a chance to warm up. Then yes, snapped baby in car seat, tucked a blanket around him, added a hat, and it was fine for the 2 minutes he was outside before going into a warm car.
PEN says
I found that the lead up to the first day of daycare was much worse than the actual drop off day. Good luck! Plan a favorite lunch so you have something to look forward to that day, instead of just dreading it.
PatsyStone says
+1 The lead up is the worst part. I quickly learned to love a lot about it.
CHL says
Not sure if this is an option but I HATED dropoff and make my husband do it while I do pick up. I live in Chicago and used a JCole BundleMe in the bucket seat with a section of the back cut out of it per the Carseat Lady. There’s just not supposed to be fluffy stuff between their bodies and the straps/carseat. It’s so hard but remember that remember they are so resilient. It will be harder for you than her. And you’re a strong cookie!
RDC says
+1 to getting DH to do dropoff if possible. We still do this (DS is almost 2) and it is so much better for my sanity.
When my son started daycare, we also did a few “transition” days the week before he started full-time – he went in for a few hrs each day. I hoped it would help him remember / feel more comfortable with the teachers. Not sure if it made a difference to him but it did help us get the routine down in terms of stuff we needed to take, etc.
CPA Lady says
Yeah, try to be upbeat and positive and make drop off quick. I also think a trial run where you leave her there for a couple of hours ahead of time could be good.
Funny story– I was patting myself on the back about not crying when I dropped my 12 week old off at daycare for the first time. I got in the car and started driving to work and drove by the middle/high school she’ll probably go to one day and thought to myself “before I know it, I’ll be dropping her off here” and started waaaaailing. It gets easier. Especially once you get used to it and feel confident in your decision. Now I cry when my daughter moves up a class because I get so attached to her teachers. They just love her so much.
Beth says
I cried the first day dropping baby off. And then all day long while she was there. The teachers are used to it and it really does get better. :-(
dc mom anon says
Here’s another one (rough weekend)-
When did you move your kiddo from the crib to a bed? My two year old really hates her crib. I have tried to jazz it up by making a big deal out of new sheets, new pillow, fun toys – but at some point in the night she starts screaming “No crib!”
I am not sure if this is just a part of the 2 year old sleep regression or time to promote her to a toddler bed. I fear that if we move her to a bed, she will just spend the night and naptime walking around her room, taking her clothes out of drawers, books off their shelves…
As an immediate solution, husband has started sleeping on the floor near her crib. Which has helped, but is a whole ‘nother problem!
EB0220 says
#1 got moved around 2 yr, 3 mo. #2 moved herself around 18 mo by flat out refusing to sleep in her crib. #2 is very good about staying in bed – even when she’s awake. We don’t have that much stuff in her room. Just a chair, ottoman, side table and bin of books. There’s not much she could get into. If your little one goes to daycare, she is probably used to sleeping on a cot and knows she has to stay on her cot at naptime.
PhilanthropyGirl says
We just moved my 2 YO to toddler bed. I say this with the caveat of he is a very easy going, flexible kid, but bedtime really hasn’t been a big deal. We’re one week in and I’ve never had a problem with him not staying in bed at night time. In the morning, I’ll often find him playing in his closet. I’ve taken out all of his toys, but he has books to look at if he wants. He’s been amazing.
Nap time – on the other hand – is a disaster. We’ve taken to moving the laundry basket and sling bookshelf out of his room and latched his closet door. There is literally nothing in his room but bed and rocking chair. I think this week he’s only napped twice. It’s basically become mandated quiet time – he has to stay in his room for an hour to rest. He doesn’t get the concept, but he’ll grow into it.
Anonymous says
I think it varies, but we moved my son out of his crib at about 2 years, because he started climbing. He miraculously never caught on to the idea that he could get up and walk around until much later. So, it won’t necessarily be a disaster…
Kelly C. says
When my child could climb out of her crib around 17 months, we converted to a toddler bed. For us, she would stay in bed even though she could technically get out. It was actually really cute to hear her calling for us and not leaving her bed until we opened up her room. Now she will get up if she wants to.
At the time we converted her crib, we made her room her “crib” and have kept it that way. The only things in her room are a very lightweight short nightstand, cordless blinds, a small child’s wooden rocking chair, her toddler bed, a futon mattress on the floor, a few books, small plug-in nightlight, a couple of small toys, and her little potty sitting on top of a towel. Her closet is locked. Her baby monitor has a cord cover over it and is hung high out of reach. She knows not to touch her nightlight. The doorknob has a child cover and is essentially locked. Her windows are locked. There is nothing that she could badly hurt herself on–no heavy dresser, no window cords, no sharp objects, etc. I was more comfortable removing heavy furniture and putting it in a different room, but I would have securely anchored it to the wall if we had not removed it. I don’t need to be morbid, but if a child knocked something heavy on themselves, their little body can absorb the impact so that there is little noise, especially if you are sleeping when it happens. Take no chances on any furniture–even a small dresser or a changing table can be dangerous.
Like you, I dreaded the transition. But it has to happen at some point. They need to learn to rest when it is rest-time. We were a cry-it-out family, so we explained the transition, and we let her do her thing if she decides to get up. If she is making a lot of noise, we will gently remind her that it is sleepy time and that she should get in her bed and try to rest.
We also bought a monkey lock for the door to leave it cracked open partway, but she seems to prefer having her door closed, so we just close it unless she requests to have it cracked open while she sleeps. The monkey lock is nice because it cracks the door open but not so wide that she can actually leave her room–she can just hear and see the hallway. I’ve heard about kids wandering the house at night and I am not comfortable with that–it is important to me that she stays in her room at night and at nap time. We sleep across the hall, so I’m not worried about her being locked in her room because I would immediately be with her if there was an emergency.
anon says
My son is a freak who never once tried to escape his crib as far as I can tell. We finally transitioned it to a bed around 3, and then he still made us come get him out of it every morning for a good 6 months. He’s not the most independent child…
NewMomAnon says
I converted the crib to a toddler bed about a month ago after kiddo launched herself out of her bed several times in one night. Bedtime was initially harder because she knew she could get up and wander, and she did – I’ve taken to rubbing her back for a few minutes and then staying in the room until she is asleep. We’re now back to pre-conversion bedtime ease.
I’ve found that in the middle of the night, she is too sleepy to get up and walk around; she just yells from her bed. If I don’t respond quickly (as happened on election night because I was raging at the tv), she’ll wander into the hallway.
Nap time has been a complete disaster, but then it always has been for my kiddo. Depending on how much she seems to need a nap, I’ll do “quiet time” where we both read books in semi-darkness for a couple hours, or bring her to my bed for a nap, or drive her around until she conks out.
Consider an OK to Wake clock for the morning. My daughter has easily accepted the idea that she can’t get out of bed in the morning until her clock turns green (we have the Teach Me Time clock because that’s what Target had, but it’s the same idea).
And I didn’t do a ton of extra babyproofing. All my daughter’s toys are in her room, she has a dresser (a low one that is wider than it is tall and very stable), and I haven’t done anything excessive with babyproofing outlets, etc. She is almost 3 though, so a bit older than some of the others posting.
Manhattanite says
Getting daddy out of the room when DD goes to sleep has been a battle for over a year. Maybe 2 yrs? She’s 4 now. It won’t end until he’s committed to ending it. Drives me up the wall.
Running Numbers says
I am traveling for work next month. My son will be 14 months old. I have only been away from him for one night. This trip, I will put him down for bed Sunday night and will not be home until Saturday morning. When the trip was planned months ago, it felt like he would hardly know I was gone but I am now worried that he is going to be very confused not having me around for a week.
Is there anyway to prepare him ahead of time for my absence? Also, reassurances that he will not feel abandoned and that he will still love me would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
Mrs. Jones says
I don’t know what you can do to prepare him. You can certainly Skype him while you’re gone to check in. He will definitely not feel abandoned; I’m not sure kids that age really have that much time comprehension, so he won’t be thinking Mommy has been gone for SO long! It will be fine. Try to enjoy your time away as much as you can; breaks are good.
NewMomAnon says
My kiddo takes a week long trip with her dad each year, and honestly? She has so much fun with him that I don’t think she really notices me being gone. I’ve also taken her on week long trips without her dad several times since she was 3-4 months old, and while she’ll mention him once in a while, she doesn’t seem to really “miss” him. We do FaceTime with the absent parent around bedtime when we travel solo with her for more than a couple days.
A few other things I’ve done: I used an app called “Clear Record” to record myself and kiddo’s dad reading books and singing songs. We have some Shutterfly books of family pictures. We have framed pictures of her family members.
Be prepared for a little clinginess when you get home, and maybe an adjustment to the bedtime routine if you’re the one who does the primary bedtime. But it will be fine.
Amelia Bedelia says
When I travel I always make a chart (simple one drawn on paper) that says “how many days until mummy come home?” Then I list the days and tack a picture of me and bebe on it. Her father makes a big production of allowing her to cross a day off every day and counting how many days are left. She’s two and doesn’t have a big concept of time, but she kind of understands the crossing days off thing.
RDC says
When my husband travels and DS asks for him, I’ve started using the line “daddy’s coming back, but not today.” That seems to be enough of an explanation for now and got around the issue of son not being able to count / understand he’ll be back in X days.
EB0220 says
I don’t think you can do much to prepare. But of course he will love you when you get back – probably more than before. My youngest (a little over 2) is very very clingy and fussy for me for about twice as long as the trip was after I travel.
PhilanthropyGirl says
My son spent some time with his grandparents starting around that age. My mother shared that he had a couple of days he was a bit subdued, but then settled right in and had a blast.
The one thing no one warned me about was the hysterical crying when I came to pick him up. It was like in that moment he realized how long it had been since he’d seen me. He was clingy for a couple of days and then back to his usual cheerful self.
We do this about once a quarter -usually 3-4 days at a time – and now at 2 he loves going away and doesn’t seem to mind that I’m not there. The first time will be a bit rough, but they seem to be so adaptable. He will definitely still love you, and as long as he has loving caretakers won’t feel at all abandoned.
YMMV, but we generally avoid phone/Skype because at this stage it seems to make mine more upset because he can’t understand why he can see/hear, but not be with me.
AnonMN says
+1 to avoiding Skype at this age. My 3 year old loves it now (and has since he was around 2), but when we went on our first trip he was 14 months. We Skyped in the airport on our way back because we would arrive after bedtime. He sobbed because he could see/hear us but we weren’t there. It was terrible. He had an otherwise awesome time with Grandma while we were gone and didn’t notice we weren’t there, until we decided to facetime at the end.
Running Numbers says
Thank you very much to all of you! I mostly lurk, rarely comment. This forum has been so helpful to me in so many ways. I really appreciate the willingness of everyone to share their experiences for the benefit of all of us!
Anon in NYC says
Is there a real difference between preschool and a daycare program that incorporates things like music, art, gross/fine motor skills work, reading, and so on? I’ve started to investigate preschools and a lot of the posted “curriculum” makes me wonder what I’m missing, because it looks basically like what she does at daycare.
Anon says
I wonder the same. I’ve started to think pre-school is primarily for kids of sahms who aren’t as used to the structure without a parent present. In my area, preschool is cheaper than daycare, but doesn’t have extended hours, so I opted against the bus-ride-in-the-middle-of-the-day and just kept her in daycare. I’ll figure something else out when Kindergarten starts.
Anon in NYC says
That’s pretty much the same here. Preschool is less expensive, but we’d either have to pay for extended hours or find a part-time nanny, and then worry about the summer. I think if my daughter were in a less structured daycare I would be more inclined to send her to preschool, but I’m just not sure I see the need right now. And it’s way more convenient for us to keep her in daycare!
Betty says
In our area, preschools are 8:00/9:00-11:30/12:00 with the option of tacking on before and after care, the total sum of which is about the same as preschool plus nanny. (One preschool in my area advertised “full-time” preschool, which ran from 9:00-3:00.) When I do preschool drop-off, I am one of two working moms in my daughter’s class, with the remainder being SAHMs.
Manhattanite says
Not just SAHMs. In my area it’s for kids with nannies too. And many of us need nannies bc the two parents working have hours not supported by the few daycare centers in Manhattan. Although others just have the resources for the lifestyle they choose.
anne-on says
It really depends on the program. Some ‘pre-k’ programs are basically just daycare programs, with long hours and seem to be geared towards kids who have stayed home getting ready for school.
My son’s program is very educationally focused, yet super fun (he adores it and asks to live at school). They have subject teachers for science, library, spanish, sports, music and art. He has goals that his teacher works with them all on – pre-reading and reading, counting, fine motor skills – etc.
One key difference – our pre-k is in a school with a curriculum, principals, teachers, etc. with ongoing professional development requirements. These are actual educators with advanced degrees. My daycare had lovely, kind, nurturing women, but these were not people with early childhood educational degrees, nor was I paying enough to expect that from them!
AnonMN says
This might be a difference by location, but my state’s daycare center licensing requires lead teachers have an early childhood degree and the professional development requirements are pretty strict as well. Which is interesting, because I thought this was standard. Perhaps that’s why my state has one of the highest daycare costs in the nation?
anon says
Definitely not required in NYC
anon says
Well, not required for some kinds of daycares – there are different kinds of licenses.
NewMomAnon says
My daycare calls the classrooms after Toddlers “preschool.” The preschool classrooms follow kindergarten readiness guidelines (sometimes too aggressively…I wish my kid was playing instead of tracing circles and learning the days of the week, but oh well). All of the lead teachers at my daycare need to have a degree in early childhood education. Right now, two of the preschool teachers even have masters degrees.
Most of the standalone “preschools” in my area are Montessori or some other special teaching paradigm. Most of them have more limited hours, don’t accept kids until 30 months + potty trained, and don’t provide meals (meaning parents have to pack lunch and snacks), but in my area I wouldn’t say that they are meant for SAHM/nanny set ups. They weren’t flexible enough for our lifestyle with two lawyer parents but I think it would work for someone who can consistently get off work by 4.
JayJay says
For the love of all things Holy, don’t ask this question on the main s i t e.
But seriously, in my area, NewMomAnon is right on with the difference between the two.
Anon in NYC says
haha. So true.
anon says
I think the line between the 2 is murky, and it really depends on the daycare in question and perhaps especially how they group the kids by age. I’m also in NYC. My son was in a small “family” daycare, which was a mixed aged program. Before the advent of UPK, plenty of kids stayed there until kindergarten. (Since UPK came on the scene, the age breakdown has changed – no older kids stay – and I wonder if this is happening at other daycares around the city). Anyway, when my son started kids from about 3 months to age 5 were in the same room. They had crafty projects, music class, etc. but couldn’t do field trips or anything like that. I do not think the teachers had early childhood education degrees.
Starting at age 3, my son began attending a private coop preschool run by teachers with advanced degrees in early childhood education education. It’s a mixed 3-4 program with a UPK that makes the 4 year old program basically free. They do a lot of field trips and have more blocks and other toys appropriate for ages 3-4, sand/water/messier play that the daycare probably avoided, and things like that. It is still very play based (Bank St. inspired). And like a unicorn preschool, it offers coverage from 8 am – 6 pm, and is open for all of June and July. Even so, a lot of kids get picked up before “afterschool” starts around 3 pm.
I would think about what you plan to do when your child is 4 – if there is a private UPK program you want to send your child to, you may only be able to get in there if your child goes to their 3s program. If you like your public UPK option, then staying in daycare for another year is probably the way to go. (In hindsight I might have done this. At the time I didn’t like the idea of switching my son to a new place just for 1 year when he was 4.)
Anon in NYC says
Thanks, all! This is helpful.
Edna Mazur says
Anyone have anything clever they keep in their purse to entertain toddlers (1.5 and almost 3)? We have a bunch of occasions where they need to sit quietly for awhile. I’ve got snacks and sticker books (and a charged iphone for little baby bum in case of emergencies). Any other ideas that are quite but will keep the littles occupied?
Momata says
Melissa and Doug water painting notebooks. Crayons and a small notebook.
Anonymous says
+1 – Those water books are great!
NewMomAnon says
Masking tape and hair binders. Also, a little flashlight on my key chain.
Betty says
My last resort is always my wallet. I know how many credit cards I have and know to count before we leave any location. But, honestly, both kids love to take all the cards out, play with them, look at pictures, etc.
PhilanthropyGirl says
+1
Mrs. Jones says
Magformers or similar.
Anon says
Tegu blocks! They sell a small portable set.
PhilanthropyGirl says
I take the pieces of out of the Melissa & Doug chunky puzzles (mostly construction vehicles because that’s what’s popular with my son).
Reusable stickers
Lift-the-flap or other interactive books – Busy Bear books are really durable for little fingers.
Edna Mazur says
I would have never thought of that. We’ve got an animal one the kiddos are really into right now.
Edna Mazur says
Oooh these are great. Why didn’t I know about water painting notebooks before this? We’ve got some fake credit cards that came with a cash register toy, I should scrounge up an old wallet and a check book register.
Thanks all!
CPA Lady says
I want to thank everyone who had suggestions on how to deal with solo parenting my 2 year old for 12 hours a day on Sundays. I did some of things y’all recommended– breaking the day into chunks with an activity for every chuck, going to church, making sure to get out of the house. It went much better than the last two Sundays. We’re having terrible wildfires, so it’s extremely smokey and we couldn’t play outside, but maybe we’ll get to do that in a few weeks if it ever rains again.
NewMomAnon says
Sorry I missed the initial thread, that sounds really interesting. As for play opportunities outside the house when it’s smoky; in my area, which is often very snowy and cold for part of the year, the malls all have indoor play areas and some of the local libraries have great children’s areas. Also consider swimming at an indoor pool – it’s great for tiring out the little ones.
TBK says
Was in Target last week buying wipes. Saw the potties and thought “well, why not.” Bought one of the inserts that goes on the big toilet. Last night, thought I’d plop Twin B on the seat and see what happened. Nothing “happened” but B LOVES the potty. He sat on the seat singing his own song called “pee in the potty” for close to 15 minutes. So I thought “well, I should see if A will sit on the seat.” Problem is that B loves the potty so much he wanted to take it with him. Every time I tried to put A on the toilet, B would reach in, snatch the seat, and run off into the living room with it. I wound up chasing B, who was wearing only a diaper and T shirt, around the living room trying to get the seat from him while also holding a totally pantsless A under my arm, who was not happy about flapping in the breeze. By the time I got the seat back and was able to body-block B from snatching it, A was in NO mood to sit over a scary hole filled with water. Meanwhile, B had maneuvered into the bathroom and started splashing his hand in the toilet water the second I moved A away from it.
So far toilet training twins is going exactly as I’d expected.
And, yes, B is the twin who was screaming and pelting me with toys in the middle of the night after barfing on me because he didn’t want me to change his barfy sheets.
And, yes, I know about the Oh Cr*p book and realize this was not at all the plan she recommends. I only have myself to blame.
NewMomAnon says
Hahahaha, I love your twins. And sorry.
I know it’s not the popular approach, but I think the little stand-alone potty seats at home might be better for twins. They could at least both be seated on the potty at the same time, and probably could lift only one and run around the house with it, leaving the other for brother to use.
Anonymous says
I actually loved the little stand-alone potty seat for my singleton, too. We could move as needed (including in front of the TV if we *knew* she needed to p**p and just wouldn’t sit down to do it). It also was easier for her to just climb on to. School has a regular size potty, so it wasn’t hard to get her adjusted to the idea of a normal potty when out and about, etc.
TBK says
We’re going to get stand-alone potties when we’re ready to start this in earnest. The truth is that B is ready and probably could have been trained six months ago. A is not at all ready, and I’m just not really up for one in diapers/one not. Although I’m pretty sure that’s where we’re going to end up for awhile.
TK says
Sigh. Little TK is indifferent to the potty seat but does like wearing Big Kid batman underwear. Yesterday while I was fixing lunch … “Mommy! Potty on the floor!” while observing himself soak through said underwear and leave a massive puddle in the living room. Good observation, little TK.
Later in the grocery store, he went up to a random stranger and told him, somberly, that ‘Mommy said to put my p*nis in the potty.”
Parenthood.
Edna Mazur says
I realize it stinks for you, but I really love your twin stories!