Is the stomach flu making its rounds in your home? Here's how to guard your kids against the stomach flu (and what to do if they catch it). My baby woke up and started with one vomit episode. I was hoping it was just extra spit-up—you know, from the milk and the food he ate. But he did it again... and again. To make things worse, he followed it up with some pretty explosive diarrhea-like poop. This was no ordinary diaper change—something was up. That's when I got the sinking feeling that told me, "Oh no, he has a stomach bug." How to help your child with the stomach flu The stomach … [Read more...]
Children’s Books about Penguins
Does your child love all things penguins? Discover the top children's books about penguins, from non-fiction to picture books that are sure to delight the kids! One of the first picture books my eldest son received as a gift was from a good friend of mine—all about a little penguin overcoming his fear of jumping in the water. By the time he was a toddler, this book was so tattered with pages falling out from reading it so much. Since then, we've also read about penguins trying not to hiccup, penguins who don't want to wear tutus, and non-fiction books sharing interesting facts about … [Read more...]
6 Tried-and-True Solutions to Your 5 Year Old Waking Up Too Early
Is your 5 year old waking up too early all of a sudden? Learn how to stop early morning wake-ups and get your child to sleep in longer. As if to remind you what sleep deprivation feels like, your 5 year old has been waking up early. As in, between four and five in the morning, before any hint of sunlight has even passed. He has no problem with nighttime sleep but continues to wake up far too early to start the day. With such an early rising, he's bogged down with tiredness. Sometimes your child wakes up fussy and crying, and lying down with him is the only way to sometimes help him … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Baby to Nap in the Crib During the Day
Wondering how to get your baby to nap in the crib during the day instead of your arms or the swing? Get tips to help with daytime naps! You've been lucky with nighttime sleep, at least. Because for some time now, your baby has been sleeping through the night in the crib. But for whatever reason, she still won't sleep in it during the day. Instead, she's been napping in the swing or carrier, the one surefire way she can sleep. But you know that this won't last—she's already outgrowing it and won't fit much longer (her feet are almost hanging over the edge!). She can certainly fall asleep … [Read more...]
20 Examples of a 2 Year Old Sleep Schedule
Need a 2 year old sleep schedule to combat sleep regression? These daily schedules can help you reset your toddler's sleep once and for all! Once my toddler hit 2 years old, I had no idea how I ever managed to put him down for a nap three, four, and sometimes five times a day in the past. With only one nap to contend with in the toddler stage, our schedule got a lot less complicated and freed up our time much more. That said, I know all too well when a 2 year old sleep schedule goes out of whack, both for naps and the bedtime routine. Rather than sleeping right away in his crib, he … [Read more...]
7 Things to Do After the Baby Is Born
The days and weeks after giving birth can be hectic. Stay organized and keep in mind these 7 things to do after baby is born. Talk about an unfair advantage. While you have nine months to prepare for the baby, you're given a few days or weeks to get so many things done after he's born. Whereas you had prepared for his arrival weeks in advance, you're now scrambling to get things done now that he's here during this postpartum period. A nosedive in hormones is making you extra emotional, all with a baby in tow. And those first few days and weeks with a newborn aren't exactly the easiest … [Read more...]
What to Do When Your Toddler Won’t Nap
Struggling when your toddler won't nap, especially when it feels like you've tried everything? Learn how to get your child to finally sleep! Naps shouldn't be this difficult, I thought. I knew other kids who could nap in two-hour chunks. My kiddo? I was lucky to get 45 minutes. The naptime routine of putting him down for a nap was already exhausting on its own. From changing diapers to reading books to singing songs, these rituals seemed so pointless when I knew nap time was barely going to last. Nap times weren't the breaks I needed. Instead of putting him down to finally be … [Read more...]
How to Avoid Baby Clutter
Whether you're expecting your first baby or not, your home doesn't have to be a mess. Learn practical ways to avoid baby clutter! My husband and I lived in a one-bedroom apartment when we were expecting our first child. We couldn't afford to let the baby items clutter our tiny space. Even now, three kids later, I learned that our home—and our lives—would never be the same. It's not unusual to see a toy banana, wooden trains, building blocks, a monster truck, dominoes, papers with drawings, and a ball—and that's only the coffee table in the living room. And a baby seems to need so … [Read more...]