Sleeping Should Be Easy

Toddler Beach Essentials for Stress-Free Family Fun

A collection of beach essentials for toddlers

Wondering what to bring to the beach with a toddler? Take a look at these beach essentials for toddlers — a collection of must have beach items for your next vacation. Bringing toddlers to the beach isn't always an easy feat. The first time I brought my twins to the beach, one of them cried for 20 minutes straight while the other had to poop in the public restroom. Snacks fall straight into the wet sand, beach towels never seem to stay clean, and naps are unpredictable. You might imagine your toddler darting off the one second you looked away, or dread coming home with sand in every crevice of his body. And let's not forget figuring out how to lug all your gear with a toddler in tow. Still, having lived near the beach for several years now, I've learned that a trip to … Read More...

Top 5 Reasons Your Newborn Wakes Up Screaming

newborn

Panicked because your newborn wakes up screaming and crying suddenly from naps and sleep, as if in pain? Learn the top 5 reasons this happens, and what to do about it. Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission—at no extra cost to you—if you make a purchase. I was used to hearing my newborn's cries after waking up... but screaming? This wasn't your regular whimpers and tears, but a sudden cry that caught me off guard and sent me in a panic. But of course, the minute I picked him up, he immediately calmed down and fell back asleep. It got to the point where he wouldn't sleep—at least for long—unless someone was holding him. I tried the bassinet, the portable crib, the swing... he'd last maaaaaybe 20 minutes before waking up … Read More...

6 Ways to Resolve Your 2 Year Old Sleep Problems

sleeping

2 year old sleep problems: A little boy jumping on the bed

What to do when your toddler won’t go to sleep? Discover the top 6 solutions to resolve your 2 year old sleep problems and regression. Rest assured, you're not the only one caught off guard by your 2 year old's unexplained middle-of-the-night wakings. You know, the ones where he wakes up six times, running to your room for you to put him back to sleep. Or perhaps it's when he wakes up crying hysterically, leaving him tired and grumpy during the day. He might even stay wide awake, refusing to fall asleep for several hours. Other parents say that their toddlers have recently been difficult to put down for naps or bedtime, despite being obviously tired. They extend story time and ask to be rocked to sleep, or sob for their parents to stay in their rooms, afraid to be left … Read More...

Transitioning to a Toddler Bed at 18 Months

sleeping

A little boy transitioning to toddler bed at 18 months

Wondering if it’s possible to start transitioning to toddler bed at 18 months? Take a look at the signs your child is ready, and the best practices to do so. Transitioning my eldest to a toddler bed came with the inevitable tears. The first set of course was convincing him to sleep in the bed at bedtime. Next came the predictable middle-of-the-night wake-up, starting with drawn-out cries before petering to five-second sniffles. And finally, the early wake-ups meant hearing him cry as early as 5:30 in the morning. Let's just say the transition wasn't exactly easy peasy. Thankfully he adjusted, but the experience reminded me why so many parents wonder if transitioning to toddler bed at 18 months is even possible. And the reasons are plenty: You're expecting a new … Read More...

How to Create a Successful Toddler Sleep Schedule

sleeping

Overwhelmed with your child’s erratic sleep patterns and bedtime tantrums? Learn how a toddler sleep schedule can make for smoother days, and best practices to create one that works for you! If it's not one thing, it's another, right? At least that's how it feels when it comes to toddlers and sleep. Maybe your toddler stays up late and sleeps all morning. Or perhaps she's an early riser, talking and playing at 5am, which inevitably affects her mood during the day. With the inconsistency of sleep, maybe you realized she's only getting eight or nine hours of sleep a day, leaving her understandably cranky and miserable. Maybe bedtime keeps getting later and later, despite all your attempts to put her down earlier in the night. Your toddler might be struggling with … Read More...

What Having a “Spoiled Baby” Really Means

infant

A tired mom wondering if she has a spoiled baby

Feeling conflicted with advice you hear about raising a spoiled baby? Put a rest to your doubts and discover what it really means to “spoil a baby.” My twins couldn't be more different, even from infancy. While one could entertain himself and wait if I put him down, his brother would last—at most—10 minutes before hollering for attention. He didn't like to be alone, preferring to be held all day. Putting him down to sleep usually meant hearing him wake up and cry within minutes. He also preferred sleeping on me. The snuggles felt good, of course, but I could hardly get things done around the house with a sleeping baby. We've all heard that you can't spoil a baby, but what do you do when, months later, you're still the only one who can calm your baby? When he only … Read More...

Looking for Games for 2 Year Olds? Here Are Our Top Picks

learn and discover

A collection of fun games for 2 year olds

Take a look at our top picks of games for 2 year olds you can play at home! Includes board games and educational and learning activities that are age-appropriate for your toddler. As a first-time mom, I quickly learned that there's never one "right" way to play a game. Whereas other kids loved sitting in the playground swing, my then-toddler would complain any time I tried to sit him on one. It turns out, his perfect game was standing on the ground, pulling a swing, letting it go, and watching it sway back and forth. Kids can turn any existing game into one that suits them better. They may not be able to play the way a game is intended, but boy can they figure out different ways to entertain themselves just as well. Still, you may have noticed that your 2 year old is … Read More...

Sleeping Should Be Easy

Search

Top Questions About Transitioning from Breastmilk to Whole Milk

Toddler Beach Essentials for Stress-Free Family Fun

Top 5 Reasons Your Newborn Wakes Up Screaming

6 Ways to Resolve Your 2 Year Old Sleep Problems

Transitioning to a Toddler Bed at 18 Months

How to Create a Successful Toddler Sleep Schedule

What Having a “Spoiled Baby” Really Means

Looking for Games for 2 Year Olds? Here Are Our Top Picks

FAVORITE PARENTING BOOKS

FAVORITE WORKING MOM BOOKS

FAVORITE EDUCATION BOOKS