You just made your little one dinner and right after you give them the dinner they put it on the floor! As a mom the first thing you think is what the hell is up with that, why wouldn't they want to eat! Babies and Toddlers love to throw their food on the floor and this has been happening since the beginning of time.

The main reason they first start doing it is it is fun! Yep that is right, around 8 or 9 months they start to see what will happen when they do it. If mommy will always pick it up, it is a game to them, and kids love games! Simple tip moms; don't keep on picking it up, otherwise you set yourself up for a lot of picking up! Try this: Pick it up twice and after that, dinnertime is all done! Take their food away and move on with the day's activities. After doing this a few times, they'll start to learn how your game works. The simple proposition in a calm voice of; "We don't drop food on the floor. If we do, dinner time is all done" gets results quickly!

Another reason is they just may not like what you are feeding them, or maybe just not like one item that is on the plate. Once your baby becomes more verbal they will be able to communicate this and when you put the broccoli next to the chicken they can so no broccoli I don't like it, and you can just remove it off and offer another vegetable.

Now onto a toddler, they communicate and they still do it….it is time to make them clean it up too! That's right, hand them a wipe and have them clean it up. They will learn a valuable lesson and they will stop doing it so much because they have to clean it up! In fact you should involve your toddler in all you household duties. It will show them how to be tidy and teach them great values in life.

Happy Feeding Mommies!

Tonight at dinner my toddler saw I was drinking out a glass and she was drinking out of a straw cup. Yes, usually I do let her take sips out of my cup, but I saw she was in a challenging mood since its dinnertime and very close to bed time. She insisted she wanted mommy's water. Now here I had a few choices, one tell her she has her own cup and listen to a possible tantrum, give her some of my water or number three which is what I went with :). I chose to avoid any of these possible situations that could turn bad. Instead I said Do you want the same cup as mommy? and she answered Yes, same as mommy. So I said, Great, one minute, be right back, mommy has a great surprise! I walked into the kitchen grabbed two small plastic Ikea toddler cups and filled them with water and put the glass and straw cup to the side. I came back in and said, Look we match! She was so excited that I got the same cup as her and drank out of it. Best of all, it avoided any tantrum or possible glass being broken. All I did was go to a toddler state of mind, go to her level to put it in easier terms. The toddler battles never end, so choose them wisely, no one likes to live in a no world.

Happy Mommying!

Next time the Cheerio's Box runs out and you are about to get rid of it, don't! Truly recycle and use it for a fun art project with your toddler. You can open it up and to the other side and let them color all over it, then fold it into a little house to play with. You can also draw a racetrack on it and let them play with their cards on it.  Do fun handprints on it with paint. Cut out shapes and label all of them so you can use them for learning. The list can go on and on, so next time stop look at your cereal box and think about something fun to do. This will not only help you expand your creative mind but be a great example for your toddler to help them too as well!

Happy Art Time Mommies!

If you have a toddler at home you know that they are all about art. Coloring, painting, play doe, and stickers! What do you do with all your toddler's art? If you are like me, there is just not enough room to keep every piece of art that they make. But we want our little one to know we are proud of their artwork! Here is a great solution, display their artwork in their room on their walls. Make it a surprise to them, come up and say wow that is amazing, you drew those circles so well, mommy is so proud of you! and hang it up in their room.

Now why their room? When they are playing, reading or getting ready for bed they can look up and also be proud of them. They will see the pictures mommy put up and it will put a smile on their face.
You can take down old ones and put up new ones, have fun with it and let them have fun making them!

Happy Proud Mommying!

Not only is your little one on the move, but now they have started walking and boy do they just want to go go go! The best thing is to offer a wide variety of activities to keep them busy.

• Classes appropriate for their age group. Gym, music, or Mommy and Me Class that put them around their peers to socialize.
• Swimming, getting them comfortable in the water and having them take swim lessons will increase their safety in the water most importantly.
• Park: friends, sand, a tunnel, swings, toys, the list can go on and on of what a park has to offer.
• Art: Coloring, Painting, and Stickers. Improving their imagination and their motor skills all at once!
• Puppet Making. Get some brown paper bags and some markers and have some fun with it. You can even do a puppet show with them after to add extra fun.
• Play Doh, they just love it!
• Let them help in the kitchen, teaches them about being healthy and they love to be with mommy helping.
• Playdates: Socialization is so important at this age, so the more the better.
• Little Tikes ride around cars, they can sit and pretend like they are driving and see the sites. Much more fun than strollers!
• Tents, Tunnels, and Balls. At any age, even adulthood, these are fun!

Happy Playtime Mommies!

Did you know the length we keep our children in diapers has increased from age 2 to the age of 4! In effort to lower this age there was an amazing book written called, Diaper Free Before 3, and in this book the author describes steps you can take from a young age to expose your child to the potty to have them fully out of diapers by age 3, and doing it in a healthy manner.

I know as a mother when my first daughter was out of diapers by age 21 months, then fully out of nighttime diapers by 26 months, it was a great joy! But you know the best part of all of that is after 11 months of age she only pooped on the potty, yep that's right no poo poo diaper for me to clean up!

Try to think of all of this from your child's perspective. Its amazing that we put our kids in diapers for more than 2 years then one day all of sudden we tell them no more now in the potty and we think they are the crazy ones for not catching on quickly!!

I always ask parents to expose their babies at an early age to the potty, a routine potty time from 6 months and up. At first nothing may happen, but keep on doing it because all of sudden poops and pees will be done in the potty. Especially once your child is regulated, they will poop in the potty at the same time every day. Going this route of exposing them early will allow them to become familiar with the potty and it won't seem so foreign to them when you decide to fully take away the diapers. In fact, it will probably be so easy you will wonder what all that hype was about! 

So if you have a 6 month, 9 month, or 12 month at home get it started. Make it a fun time for both of you. You can sing songs and read books during potty time. Overall just make it a positive and comfortable experience for your little one.

Happy Potty Time!

Yes, we all hit this point as parents where we need to take away the diapers and head into a whole new territory of underwear. This is a process that can be very quick with most children if you read the signs right. So what signs should you look for???

If your child does the following they could be ready:

• Has regular bowel movements at a predictable time
• Wakes up from naps with dry diapers
• Says pee and poo poo (or whatever terminology you choose with your child)
• Doesn't like to be dirty
• Tells you no diapers – haha! :)
• Can sit still on the potty for a few minutes
• When the pee is big one that seems like they have been holding it for a while.
• Is excited when they go potty
• Can take simple directions from you such as hand mommy the ball please
•  Is a very independent child and is longing for more!

So if you little one is telling you they want no more diapers with all these signs it is time to get started! Good-bye diapers and hello underwear!

Happy Mothering!

Ok its time, your child shows all the signs that they want to stop wearing diapers, now what??? Now you get ready to potty train. Being an organized and prepared parent helps immensely in this situation. So start with getting what you need before you potty training.

• Cleaning supplies: there will be accidents, every child has them and even after they are potty trained, accidents happen so make sure you have what you need to clean up the mess.
• Underwear for your little one: Take them with you; make it a fun and exciting activity. Let them choose princess or Spiderman underwear, if they love it they will want to wear it. They may even just carry it around the house sometimes because they love their underwear so much! And buy a lot, because like I said, accidents will happen so you need to have clean ones on hand.
• Get your incentive for your little one. Whether it is stickers, a check mark, or an M&M just makes sure you have whatever you need on hand so you can reward your little one for what they did.
• Lots of clean pants too. :) When accidents happen, underwear and pants both get dirty, so always have clean clothes with you.
• Potty seats: At home potty seats in each bathroom and travel potty seats, be prepared and have what you need so they can go anywhere.

 
So if you and your little one are ready, let the potty training begin! Number one rule, once you take away the diaper, just never go back :)!

Happy Potty Training!

So you did it, your little one is officially in underpants during the day when they are awake. The next step is when they are sleeping.

You will know your child is ready when they are waking up with dry diapers consecutively for a full week or more. Make sure you put them on the potty before and after naps to give them plenty of opportunity to go on the potty. First get naps diaper free then move onto nighttime sleep. Once you see dry diapers for naps, pull the diapers and go for the underwear. Tell you little one, no more diapers for naps, so if you make pee-pee in the bed it will make your bed all wet! So when you wake up we will go in the potty. Tell them this every time so it sinks into their little brains. Repetition is key with toddlers.

Soon after the naps, the nighttime will follow. Again you will see dry diapers and your child will probably be expressing an interest to you to not wear diapers anymore at night. Give them an opportunity right before bed and when they wake up on the potty. One of the most important things with the nighttime training is limiting the amount of fluids before bed. It is a long stretch of sleep and you want to help them avoid accidents, so limit fluids before bedtime.

The most important thing is once you switch to underwear for naps and nighttime sleep, do not go back to diapers. Accidents happen with every child and yes it will make us frustrated and angry sometimes, that is totally normal. Just remember you are teaching them and with learning, mistakes happen. So you may have to wash the sheets a few times extra but your child will learn quickly if you stick to it. Good Luck!

Happy Diaper Free Sleeping!

With all stages, come new toys! And anyone with a toddler at home knows good toys that keep toddlers occupied can be a mother's best friend at home! So here are a few toddler toys that are great!

• A Kitchen: this toy can occupy a toddler in a make believe game for a long while. Pots, Pans, Food, Cups, Plates…and more. The never-ending entertainment!
• Work Bench and Tool Set: This is another great station, great especially for little boys that want to be like daddy! With all the tools and compartments, they will be trying to build something in no time!
• Magnitiles: These are amazing. They are magnetic shapes that you can use to build with. They are especially great because not only do the challenge and occupy your toddler but they exercise that creative problem solving side of their brain.
• Scooters or Cars: Letting your little one scoot around on a scooter or drive around in a little tykes car is so much fun for them and keeps their motor skills developing!
• Tents and Tunnels: These never get old! Crawl through the tunnel and get into a secret tent that is theirs where they bring their stuffed animals and play make believe games. It is great for their imagination!
• Art: Whether it is painting or stickers, art is great for toddlers in every way and they love it!

These are just a few of the great toys out there that are long lived and keep your toddler occupied and having fun. This way mommy can have a rest to just watch and enjoy!
Happy Playing!

Yep, this day comes for every parent. The secure and closed in sleeping space for your toddler needs to be upgraded. It is time for a big kid bed! Most toddlers between the ages of 2 and 3 move from their crib to a big kid bed and in most cases best to wait closer to 3.

What if your child climbs out of the crib prematurely around 16 months or 18 months? Should you give them a bed? NO! This is a very early age for a big bed and with another case of separation anxiety coming around the corner it is best to keep them in the crib for now. Try putting a sleep sack on them so they can't climb out making their time in the crib a little longer. Another option is to try lowering the mattress to the floor but still inside the crib. Whichever one you choose, just be sure to be safe.

Having a big kid bed instead of a crib is not about the size of your child it is about the cognitive development of your child. As a parent be ready for some unexpected visits into your room. It is a learning process for your toddler to know the imaginary boundaries around their bed since before it was just bars of the cribJ! Whether they are 3 next week or you are expecting a new little one soon, here are some tips to make the process run smoothly!

• Use the crib: Transitioning your crib into a toddler bed if you have a convertible crib can help this process run smoother. This will keep their environment the same and actual space the same to help them learn the new boundaries.
• Make it fun: Take them shopping to pick out some fun sheets! Princess and superheroes always keep toddlers more safe and snuggly :)!
• Nothing moves: If your crib was in the corner, put the toddler bed or new bed in the corner too. Keep the room familiar and space familiar with the same stuffed animals or special lovey.

Always remember not every kid is the same. Some move at 2 years old just fine and others really need to wait until they are 3 years old. Read your child's signs of readiness. It could be potty training, starting school, or a soon to be older sibling! Whatever it is, make it fun and have fun with it!

Happy Transitioning!

Brushing teeth with a toddler, most of the time an uphill battle. If you are one of the parents out there with a toddler that loves to brush their teeth, pat yourself on the back and keep it up!  Most toddlers at some point become difficult during brushing their teeth. Lets face it, they aren't doing the best job, so in trying to be make sure they clean their teeth it becomes a game of tug of war with the toothbrush. So how can we make this process easier for mommy and toddlers? It takes work, patience and repetition. Here are few tips to help you along the way!

• Make it fun! Let them pick out the toothbrush and the flavor of toothpaste. Give them only two options and let them choose.
• Remember they are only toddlers! A toddler will not brush their teeth perfectly yet, so don't expect them to right away. It is excellent to get them in the routine and instill the good habit in them.
• Take turns! Your turn, mommy's turn. Or do it together each holding it. Whatever works for your child with out the toddler tantrum! It's good to get in there and help to get all the food off their teeth.
• Same! Toddlers love to be like and mimic their parents, so try brushing your teeth with them at the same time. Make a little game with it and make it fun.
• Electric toothbrush! Yes these are great! They brush your child's teeth for them and make it a lot easier. And best part, its fun for them to turn it off and on and feel it go spinning on their teeth.
• Praise the good! When they do a good job, tell them. Praise their action and even tell someone else or have someone tell them. You can lean over to daddy and say, did you see how well our daughter brushed her teeth! It was amazing! or have daddy say, wow did you do that on your own, your teeth look great! Either way, praising the good action is positive reinforcement.

So get brushing and have fun with it! This is the one of the many toddler battles we have to win :).

Happy Brushing!

You are fast asleep in bed and all of a sudden you hear loud screams from your toddlers room. You look at the monitor and there is your little one sitting straight up squealing with their eye wide open, so you rush in to see what's wrong but right when you get to the crib your little one is already calm and fast asleep. You are thinking, what is wrong? Is your little one ok? Let me just start by saying yes they are ok. In fact, they won't even remember that this happened, they are in deep sleep. What you are hearing and seeing is called a Night Terror. 
Night Terrors can start as early as 18 months, but that is rare. They more commonly begin at age 3. Night Terror is a random disturbance in a child's sleep when they are going from one sleep cycle early on in the night to another deep sleep cycle. So they are not in dreaming sleep mode (REM sleep). The most important thing to keep in mind with Night Terrors is to keep your child safe. If they are old enough to get out of their bed and walk around make sure they are ok. They are not awake and do not know what they are doing, so be sure to check on them always.
So how can you try to avoid this? That is the main question that everyone wants answered. The most important thing is to make sure they are getting good quality sleep that they are well rested. The most popular cause for a Night Terror is overtiredness, exhaustion or fatigue. Naps and good nighttime sleep (without waking) is very important, not only for their development but also their overall happiness and avoidance of Night Terrors. Other causes could be sleeping in an unfamiliar surrounding or a new medication. Speak to your pediatrician about any medications that may be causing it to discuss other options.
So if you see this, don't be worried. It is common and totally normal. Just make sure your little one is well rested on a daily basis to avoid any more Night Terrors. These arbae always scarier for us than the child!
Happy Sleeps All Around!
Every mother has then never-ending fear of taking away the bottles of milk. It is a point in every mothers life where we just say, next week then the next week say… next week. Yes it is a hard move to do for each and every one of us. Why is it so hard for us as mothers to make this jump? The #1 reason is we all correlate milk with giving our child a better nights sleep and no one wants to mess up good sleep for mommy or baby! Guess what, your child will sleep just fine with out a bottle of milk. In actuality I think it is harder for us as mothers because that is one step closer from your baby being a baby to being a toddler and growing up and that is just hard for each and every one of us. So how should you take it away?

There are two options to take away the bottle: slowly transitioning it with one feeding at a time going into a cup or just cold turkey! Personally with both my kids I did cold turkey around a year for each of them. The reason I chose to stay close to a year, Jordana was 14 months and Ariella just recently at about a year, is because the earlier you take it away the easier it is for the child to adjust. The longer they have it the more the attachment will grow, which makes it harder on everyone. So if you want to do cold turkey just wake up one day and say no more bottles! If you would like to transition, drop one feeding at a time to a straw cup each week. There is no right way so whichever way you choose; they both have the same outcome.  Just remember and know like anything else change takes time so give your child at least a week to get use to the new change in the repertoire.

The hardest one for every mom to drop is that nighttime bottle. So just try inching it up by 10 minutes each week until you have it around an hour before bed. This way there will be a gap between the milk and nighttime sleep to make it even easier to take away the bottle.
So good luck mommies and remember just stay strong and consistent!
Happy Mommying!
Keep yours and your toddler's favorite snacks in the car for emergency. Protein bars for mommy and crackers for kids are great items that I keep because they don't spoil and can always do the job!
When we are a new parent we watch our newborns every move and keep our eyes glued to the monitor. Then when they begin to crawl we predict every move before they do or at least we hope that we do ☺! But do we hover too much? What would happen if we just give them a little space? The question is, are you a Helicopter Parent?

First, lets start with what helicopter parenting is. It is exactly how it sounds, a mother that is constantly hovering over their child. A mom that is tracking their every move, worrying about them 24 hours a day, and never gives them space to explore and be a kid. First let me say yes, we can over parent. A great example is a little girl I saw at the park today with her mother. She was over 2 years old and very capable of climbing. Her mother instead of letting her enjoy climbing and learn to do new things was hovering over her and didn't let her finish just would put her at the top. The kid was not allowed to do anything and you could see this little girl just wanted to say, Mom back off, give me some space! And when she is a teenager she probably will! 

So where should you draw your line? Your barometer is your child. Let them explore and be a kid! Getting bumps and bruises is part of being a kid. When your child first learns how to walk they will fall all the time. As long as you are there to avoid catastrophes let them get the hang of it and enjoy it! Most of all, let them be a kid getting dirty, running around and exploring the new things they find everyday. If you find yourself hovering just take a step back and a deep breathe, stop and remember even your 2 year old needs their space. :)
Happy Mommying!
As a mother of two adorable little toddler girls I stop myself before I say no when my first instinct is to say it. These poor little girls, if I did say no when my brain told me to that is all they would hear. Instead I avoid the word no as much as possible. I stop and think to myself how would I feed if someone told me no all time? Or even wonder why the world is made up of all no words? I even wonder to myself, how does this make them confident when all I say is no? It's the ongoing battle a mother of a toddler goes through day in and day out. I see it especially my younger one, who is 15 months old. Right now she mimics everything and want her voice to be heard, especially even more that she is a second child. If I said no all the time that is what I would hear out of her all the time and toddlers already start off saying no enough, as a parent I don't want to encourage it more and more.

So what do I do instead? Number one and most importantly I make our home kid friendly and take them to fun places to play that are kid friendly. With my home kid friendly they have toys to play with and have a less chance of danger, which makes me, say no less to them. Secondly, is giving them a yes place in a no environment. The perfect example of this is a tableware cabinet in a kitchen. This gives them a safe cabinet to play in a room that is filled with a bunch of no areas.  Lastly is letting them know what they can do, not what they can't do. For example if my toddler throws a hard toy, I calmly say, we don't throw blocks but we can go throw a ball if you would like and I get a ball out to play catch.

So next time you want to say no nonstop, stop yourself and imagine being a toddler living in a no world.  Choose another way to tell them and enjoy this fun age of nonstop excitement! The best thing about parenthood is that we learn as much from the children as they learn from us!
Happy Yes-ing!

You started it our right, giving your baby veggies instead of fruits first, encouraged them to eat all the colors of the rainbow from bananas to spinach and your baby would happily eat it all without much of a problem.

Then all of a sudden, one day your child began to reject things she once loved. The good news is, it really is probably a stage and the length of time the picky phase persists depends on how you respond to it.

They fuss for various reasons and here's what it boils down to:

• Independence: Your toddler is suddenly much more opinionated about everything, rejecting food is a way for them to assert independence. So give them a simple choice to encourage the independence. Avocado or hummus?
•  Peer Pressure: They pay attention to what their friends eat & it doesn't help when their friend, who only eats pizza also comments on your kids healthy choices by calling them "yucky" - try pulling on more positive influences who can help to reinforce healthy choices.
• Power Toddlers now know they can have impact in situations & want to test you whenever they can, they might be looking for reactions from you. When your child rejects a food one of the worst things you can do is act upset or annoyed instead nonchalantly say "oh well, maybe you'll be hungry at snack time"
• Junk food wonderland: Almost all children are born with a taste preference for sweet foods and as your toddler is growing up, so are they eating more treats with birthday parities & play dates even kids meals at restaurants. It helps to introduce the concept of "sometimes or fun or special foods to ensure your toddler realizes you have nothing against these foods but in order to grow healthy and strong he/she needs to eat what you serve at home.
• Role Model: Your child sees what you eat and wants to be like mommy and daddy, so eat right in front of them and they will mimic what you eat eventually!

Making food look creatively fun is also a great tactic for encouraging good appetites!

Finally it is thought that around age 2 toddlers are genetically programmed to be picky, the only way to help override this is to know they will outgrow this phase and it really is ok for them to skip a meal here and there remembering that they need less food than us & a few bites here and there can add up to a balanced meal.

Happy Eating!!

Here are two of many great and affordable games you can let your toddler do that are safe, easy, keeps them focused, and they learn in the process.

• Present wrapping! Cut up some wrapping paper, give them scotch tape pre cut and some bows. Take a few of their small toys and let them wrap them. This not only lets them be creative but also helps them build their problem solving skills. All around a great activity!
• Magnifying glasses! Yep, its science time! This great little affordable item will be a great investment. Next time you are at the park let them look at the leaves, sand, or flowers. Or if you are at home give them some toys to explore. Whatever it is, they will feel so cool with this little device. Again, all around a great activity!

With my kids everything turns into a song and dance. Music is such a powerful tool to change the tone or make something fun, so as a mommy it should be in our mommy toolbox!

• Changing the tone can help with your little one. If they are crying as an infant, a mother's soothing voice singing a soft song can not only help make your baby calm but calm you down as a mother since at those times can make mommy stressed too.
• If your baby doesn't want to go in the car seat, change a diaper or take a bath, make a song about it and make it a fun song to help them learn about the process. A song will catch their attention and teach them the process much better.
• Toddlers love to sing with you and learn the songs. Just like with infants a happy song can change the tone. After you have addressed your child's feelings and worked through them, start off with a song. A family favorite at my home is if you are happy and you know it! This one creates smiles all around :)!

So now that you are a parent, your life is a musical. Everyday you can sing and sing about what you are doing to make life more fun!
Happy Singing!

Anyone out there that has a toddler knows about tantrums and also knows when that bomb goes off; it's a whole other side of your child that you didn't even know existed until they hit toddlerhood! So the million-dollar question I have been asked recently is how to avoid them and deal with them. First let's touch on how to avoid them and in order to do that, let's learn about why tantrums happen.

• Frustration Tantrum: Toddlers are full of all kinds of frustration from not having the words to describe what they need or want to not being able to do a challenging physical activity. As adults we get frustration but we have the ability to use our words and think rationally. Toddlers are all about emotion and most don't have the words so they are unable to tell you what they need and how they feel. This is extremely frustrating to them causes them to have a tantrum anytime. So what can we do? Dr. Harvey Karp has a great DVD called Happiest Toddler on the Block, which really helps explain and understand how to deal with toddlers. He says toddlers are like cavemen acting in emotion and not having the words to explain, so as parents we need to get to their level physically, mirror their emotions by a third and repeat what they say. After they have calmed down then explain why and give another option using simple language. If this is practiced with younger toddlers it works extremely well. Just letting them know that you know how they feel will make them feel better as a whole. Everyone just wants to be understood when he or she are upset, even as adults.
• Exhausted Tantrums: Yes we have all been here; it's just before naptime or later in the day just before dinner and your child has hit an exhaustion wall. Tired tantrums can be avoided if you child is napping and sleeping well at night. A child that naps and sleeps well at night has fewer tantrums all together. Even with appropriate sleep they can hit this wall so choose the correct timing to bring your children out. If your child naps at 1pm and you are invited to a lunch at 1230pm that is probably not a good time to go. They will be tired and you have a greater chance of them having a tantrum. So just choose your times for your outings wisely.
• Hungry Tantrums: Nobody is pleasant when they are hungry. I know I am not a pleasant person to be around, my husband will vouch for that! Haha! Toddlers they need to eat often. Healthy well balance meals and healthy snacks will make them feel much better! So keep some snacks in the car or in your purse with a bottle of water for when you are on the run. Food can turn their frown upside down!

The most important thing we need to remember about tantrums is it is better to think ahead and avoid them then be stuck in one. So make sure your child has good sleep, food, and plan around what their needs are with sleeping and eating. When you are in a tantrum show them you understand their frustration and feelings, let them know they are heard. Some extra cuddles and hugs always seem to help too :).

Happy Mommying!

As a parent this is a hard one to face, watching your little one get hurt by another kid- let's paint a picture..

You're at the park and your kid has a ball in hand, another kid decides he'd like that ball (or better yet, needs that ball right now!) & runs over to your child and just grabs it & hurts your child in the process by scratching their face. You're left with your kid who is now crying & hurt both physically and emotionally.

We know how much you'd love to step in, grab the ball back and yell at the kid who feels entitled but obviously that's not appropriate so use it as an opportunity to teach both kids what's appropriate.

Say something to the offending kid such as " we say please, my turn & we don't scratch/hit/spit, that hurts (insert your kids name here) feelings and makes him/her sad inside we can be nice & then touch gently."
So next time you are at the park and the other mom doesn't jump in, go for it and try to avoid tears and scratches :)!
Happy Mommying

As a mother we often forget how very important it is to have our little one socialize with other babies of a similar age. Of course you are an amazing mommy and you are doing everything to be your little ones favorite person, and trust us, you are! But, it is so important for your little one to socialize with peers (kids their own age) and here's why:
*They generally will talk sooner and are definitely more understandable
*These babies have better social skills (eg. sharing, following instructions, etc). Which is important especially as they grow older
*They seem to have better large motor skills. (Remember they are watching and learning what the other kids are doing.)

There is really great benefit to socializing children young and we strongly encourage it! So go out there and find local meet-ups, join a kid’s gym like Gymboree, have several play dates a week and have fun with your little one and friends!