Development Archives | Sleeping Should Be Easy

4 Benefits of Teaching Kids Responsibility

Published Jun 19, 2020 Updated Jul 10, 2020

Teaching kids responsibility is an important task in raising self-sufficient kids. Read four real benefits they get (plus parenting tips to put into action). I had a problem: I was doing everything for my kids. The day would go by much quicker, after all. Tying their laces? I could do it in five seconds. Pulling up their pants? They'd get their undies all tangled. And leaving my eldest to do the dishes on his own meant finding soap residue on the plates. For the longest time, I even thought I was supposed to do everything. That I'm doing a great job by being a hands-on mom. The parent … [Read more...]

How to Get Your Toddler to (Finally) Poop in the Potty

Development

Published Apr 25, 2020 Updated Jun 26, 2020

Wondering why your child still isn't pooping in the potty? Learn how to get your toddler to poop in the potty, handle poop anxiety and avoid messy accidents! Despite his success with potty training in just three days, my toddler wouldn't poop in the potty. After several months, he still didn't get the hang of pooping in the potty. It seemed like he had a poop accident in his underwear every day. I knew rewards were ineffective, but even praising him for his progress didn't seem to work. In fact, he knew when he needed to poop, but rather than sit on the potty, he'd hide in a corner … [Read more...]

Children’s Books about Separation Anxiety

Children's Books

Published Mar 12, 2020 Updated Mar 12, 2020

Separation anxiety in kids can be challenging. Read these children's books about separation anxiety to help your child cope with these difficult feelings. Imagine the infant who cries the instant his parents put him down, or the preschooler who has to let go of daddy's hand and stay with her new teacher. Whether in the infant or preschool ages, dealing with separation anxiety isn't easy on anyone. You might get annoyed ("Why does she cry every time I step five feet away?"), worried ("How is he coping in his new school?"), or downright frustrated. Despite these emotions that … [Read more...]

5 Tips to Handle a Clingy Toddler

Development

Published Feb 29, 2020 Updated Apr 13, 2020

Does your child fuss and refuse to leave your side? Discover 5 ways to ease your clingy toddler into feeling more comfortable being alone or with others. My clingy toddler refused to leave my side (even at home!) and shadowed me everywhere I went. Getting a load of laundry done or tackling the dishes in the sink felt like a miracle. He'd cry if someone else so much as extended their arms to give him a hug. And socializing with other kids in play groups or family parties didn't help at all. On one hand, having a toddler cling to your side can be an ego boost, a bit of reassurance that … [Read more...]

What to Do when Your Child Cries at School Drop Off

Development

Published Feb 09, 2020 Updated Feb 25, 2020

Do you feel guilty or frustrated when your child cries at school drop off? Learn how to cope with school drop off anxiety and make your mornings smoother. I couldn't get the image out of my head: my son crying on his first day of preschool, trying to wrestle himself out of his teacher's arms as I said goodbye. I reminded myself that this was to be expected, that adjusting to anything takes time. But as I stepped into my car, the mom guilt came into full force. I hated thinking about him upset, and even questioned whether preschool was the right decision. It didn't help that I saw … [Read more...]

When Do Newborns Get Easier?

Development

Published Jan 31, 2020 Updated Jun 14, 2020

When do newborns get easier? Caring for a baby in the early months is challenging. Learn the milestones that make life easier! The light at the end of the tunnel wasn't shining any time soon. My baby was a few weeks old, nursing all the time, and hardly sleeping at all. Nights were the worst: My husband and I would sit in our dark bedroom with a wailing baby in one of our arms. With only a small lamp lit, the other one faced the laptop, desperately searching for solutions that might help our baby stretch his sleep or cry less. It didn't help when the milestones everyone promised … [Read more...]

Is Your Toddler Scared of Bath Time? Here’s What to Do

Development

Published Jan 25, 2020 Updated Feb 25, 2020

Do you have a toddler scared of bath time (even when he always enjoyed it)? You're not alone! Discover effective techniques to help make bath time easy and fun again. What is going on?! I thought. My 2 year old had always loved bath time and never resisted hopping into the tub. But soon bath time became more and more of a power struggle. It started off innocently enough—he'd dawdle and take his time to head to the bathroom, perhaps shed a few tears the first few nights. Except next thing I knew, his whimpers and tears morphed into full-blown tantrums and meltdowns. He became … [Read more...]

How to Teach a Child to Dress Themselves

Development

Published Jan 20, 2020 Updated Feb 13, 2020

Want to let the kids dress themselves and also save yourself time? Learn how to teach a child to dress themselves in the mornings with these useful tips. I was late for work, and my son insisted on putting his shoes on. This wouldn't have been a problem... if he actually knew how to put shoes on. You see, all this time, I'd been doing everything for him because it just seemed faster that way. The problem? I figured I'd save more time if he only knew how to get dressed—except that took time I already didn't have. Catch-22, anyone? In my home, my husband usually had morning duty … [Read more...]

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