What Gives Me The Most Parenting Anxiety Every Day?

Even though my son is almost 3-years old, I still have extreme anxiety about him sleeping at night. Pretty understandable, if you consider I'm with him all day long and need my nights to unwind and relax.

But here's the kicker: He's a great sleeper. 99% of the time he falls asleep with no problems and sleeps through the night.

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My anxiety hangs around a little at bedtime. Once he's down and quiet, I can and do relax. But if he starts making noise, or even worse, starts crying, my anxiety shoots through the roof. I've talked to many parents about this and most have no real issues with their kids sleeping. If the child wakes up, then so be it. Deal with it. But I've never been able to have such a laid back attitude toward my son sleeping.

The one milestone that really increased my anxiety was when we converted his crib into a toddler bed. This means he can get out of bed whenever he wants. This terrifies me. But again, he doesn't do it. He stays in bed. I think I can remember only one time when he actually got out of bed because he couldn't sleep and wanted mommy. (It was so sad, he was calling "Mommy help! Mommy help!")

I'm not sure if my anxiety about his sleeping will ever go away. Maybe when he's older. I just remember when I was a kid I always had a hard time sleeping and I always woke my parents up. I feel really bad about that now. I guess it's payback time.

Any tips on reducing this sleeping anxiety?

What Happens When My Son Switches From A Crib To A Toddler Bed?

My son has finally switched from a crib to a toddler bed. Okay, to be completely honest, his crib turns into a toddler bed - we just removed one of the sides and replaced it with a safety rail. Now he's free to get in and out of bed whenever he wants.

We made this move a few months ago, but since I was MIA on this blog for the first part of the year, I didn't write about it. Until now.

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I didn't want him to sleep in a toddler bed. I wanted him in a crib. I was scared that once we converted his crib, he'd be up and down all night. My anxiety level shot up like a rocket the day we made the move.

I've always had a lot of anxiety about him sleeping, even though he's a very good sleeper and has been since he was a baby. That still doesn't stop me from having a panic attack if he starts to make noise at night.

What happened once he wasn't in a crib anymore? Nothing. He slept just like he always did. The only real difference has been that he gets up a little earlier in the morning, usually before 8. But that's been about it. And after talking to many, many other parents about this milestone, I think my wife and I have gotten off pretty easy. We are very lucky.

My logic was that if he had the freedom to get in and out of bed whenever he wanted to, he'd be all over the place. I underestimated him though, since he does what most people do at night - sleep. Imagine that. 

I should note there was a time when he wasn't tired and got out of bed and began knocking on the door while crying. It took my wife another story or two to get him back into his crib where he finally fell asleep.

What has been your experience with your little ones making the transition from crib to bed?

3 Ways To Cope With Bad Days As A Parent

We all have those days when we want to pull our hair out and set fire to it just to watch it burn. But we don't because we have kids around. And I'm also pretty sure the child protective services department in your county might have something to say about setting fires around your kids too.

Every parent goes through this. It's like a rite of passage. When your child is acting up and throwing temper tantrums and you can't even sit down without your child screaming. Yes, it happens to all of us. That's how we earn our parenting stripes.

So how do we deal with those days without resorting to arson? There has to be healthy coping tools, right? Yes, there are. I'm going to share a few I have found effective when it's "just one of those days."

1. Remember The Positives

I don't want to get all philosophical here, but a little dose might be good for you. When my son is acting out, throwing temper tantrums and behaving worse than usual, I have to put things in perspective. Usually all it takes is to look at my son, closely, and it reminds me what a cute little baby he was, and what a cute toddler he is.

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Remembering your child and how much you love him/her will bring you back down to earth. It's like pushing the reset button on your brain. It also reminds you of the bigger picture, that those moments of torment from your little one are only temporary. Nothing lasts forever.

This doesn't work in all situations. Sometimes you're so stressed out you want to lock your kid in a closet, curl up in the corner and shake. But you don't, because you know, the whole child protective services thing. And this brings me to my next tip...

2. Remove Yourself From The Situation

If you have a toddler that's not a total terror and can be left alone for a few minutes, then go somewhere else. This can be the bathroom, a bedroom, the basement, the room with your medieval sword collection. It doesn't matter. All that matters is you have a door to close so you can have a few minutes of quiet time.

A few minutes might not sound like a lot, but it can do wonders for you. When you're alone, take deep breaths, read a page or two of that book gathering dust on your nightstand. Do a few pushups (any kind of exercise is a great stress reliever). Splash cold water on your face. Almost anything will do, as long as you're removing yourself from the situation, and doing it safely.

My only disclaimer here is that every toddler is different. If you cannot leave your toddler alone safely for a few minutes, then don't do it. I'm lucky enough where this is an option for me.

3. Have Something To Look Forward To

This is a pretty broad one. When I say to have something to look forward to, I mean something the same day. For me, it can be going swimming at night. Sometimes it's just looking forward to when my DS goes to bed.

Aside from having something to be excited about, this also reinforces in your brain that nothing lasts forever. Things will get better. Your child will start behaving again. That hair you pulled out will grow back.

I know this is easier said than done. Trust me on that. Here's the thing, if you keep reminding yourself of this, it'll eventually work itself into your brain and you'll find yourself getting less stressed out when your little one is being a nightmare because you know that it'll end and you know there's something better on the horizon.

Hopefully one of these three tips can help you out. Raising kids full-time ain't easy. And if anyone ever says it is, give them a strong spin-kick to the face with your steal-toed boots.

Bounce House Injuries On The Rise

If there's one thing my son loves, it's jumping on the bed. If there's one thing he loves more, it's jumping  in those bounce house things.

But a recent USA Today article caught my attention. Those bounce houses are causing more and more injuries. I'm not all that surprised. After all, anytime you have a bunch of really young kids bouncing in a confined area on a cushion of air, accidents are bound to happen.

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In part, the article says:

The moonwalks, slides and bounce houses are popular entertainment at young children's birthday parties and carnivals, but the toll they are taking on the young is "epidemic," says lead author Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

 In 2010 alone, 30 children a day were treated for these injuries in hospital emergency rooms, the report says. The number of injuries increased to 11,311 in 2010 from 702 in 1995. Falls were the most common cause, followed by stunts and collisions. Smaller kids are a greater risk.

I take my son to Little Monkey Bizness, and they have a large, multi-level bounce house with slides and everything. The biggest threat to my son, in my opinion, is the older kids who don't pay attention to what they're doing. But to be fair, little kids don't pay much attention either.

The fun is real, so are the broken bones!

I'm not one to read an article like this and then not let my DS ever go in a bounce house again. I think it's worth noting and all parents should be a little extra vigilant. 

Heck, if we banned all the toys and fun things kids have these days, they wouldn't have any toys or fun things. Getting a little roughed up builds character and is part of being a kid. Damnit, I used to drink water from a dirty hose and jump off the roof of my house, and I turned out fine (though some would beg to differ).

Photo Credit: JollyJump Creative Commons

The Talking Game

My son is finally showing an interest in talking. He's quickly expanding his vocabulary and is starting to speak sentences of gibberish - which the doctor says is a good sign.

He's a late talker. With everything else he does great. He understands exactly what we are saying (well, sometimes it's "selective" understanding). He can communicate to us what he wants, usually through his own version of sign language and a lot of grunting. And he's great at figuring stuff out on his own.

My wife and I say that he's using his brain power for greater things than talking. I totally believe that it's true.

The most frustrating part about him not talking is that, well, he gets frustrated easy because he can't communicate what he wants. Like I said above he does pretty good at communicating what he wants, but there's still moments when it's chaos at our house.

I consider talking and potty training to be the last big milestones on the way to childhood-dom. Once toddlers have those down life becomes a little easier. I'm not saying it's smooth sailing, but a child's independence takes a big step forward.

For my own sanity, I pray my son gets there soon.

Does It Get Easier? Not Really.

The one question that I always tend to ask parents with kids slightly older than mine is: "Does it get easier?"The answers I get range from "yes" to "no" and everything in between. I've also been on the receiving end of that question.

My stock answer to other parents is that as your child gets older, it's just different.

But I was thinking about this yesterday when my son was being more of a pill than usual. I wanted to change my answer to the popular "does it get easier" question to "not really." I won't though, because it's too negative and isn't really an honest answer.

Let me explain. When you have a baby you have to deal with regular feedings, waking up several times during the night, crying, they need constant attention, etc. In other words, babies are a little more high maintenance than older children. Yes, you won't have to deal with those specific problems when your child gets older.

However, once he/she reaches toddler age, you have a whole new set of issues to deal with: Temper tantrums, potty training, child trying to push boundaries and exert their independence, etc. None of this is easy either.

It's ironic because when my son was a baby I kept saying I can't wait for him to be a toddler. Life will be so much easier. Now that he's a toddler, there are times when I wish he was a baby again.

So answering the question "does it get easier" with "it just gets different" is still accurate. However, I think it's kind of a round-about way of answering the question without really answering the question.

When a parent with a newborn asks me questions I always try to put a positive spin on things. When they talk about their baby's constant need to be held, I tell them it does get better. Same thing with late night feedings. I want to encourage parents as much as possible to give them hope. Those were the answers I took comfort in when my own DS was a baby.

If you were to ask me now if it gets easier, I'll answer by saying: "Each phase has it's own challenges, and I won't say any of them is easier than the last. But if you hate one phase (like the newborn), then you might love the toddler phase (for example)."

What do you tell parents who ask this question?

How I Protect My Son's Online Privacy

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know I don't mention my son's name, nor do I post his picture. When referring to him I usually write "my son" or "DS" (dear son).

Why do I do this? After all, I post a picture every now and then on Facebook, but only close friends and family can view those pictures. We even have an online photo album for our family to see him in all his glory and cuteness.

This blog is a little different though because I talk about him differently than on Facebook. The photo album we have of him is just that, a photo album.

Why am I so protective here? Because when he's older and is going to school, I don't want his friends/classmates to find all these embarrassing posts about him pooping, diaper rash and running naked through the house on this blog. That's a recipe for a good ass kicking.

In other words, I share more personal details here than on Facebook. If someone were to Google his name, the results wouldn't bring up this blog.

I don't post pictures here for the same reasons. Only with pictures, I always worry about some pervert or other sicko using them for their own nefarious purposes. I also don't want people using his picture without my permission (which I'd never give) for their own website or other online use. It might sound like a longshot, but I've read horror stories of parents who did see their child's picture being used online in a not-so-clean way.

Is that an irrational fear? Maybe. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I love him like crazy and don't want any to hurt him, and if they do, they'll have to answer to my steal-toed boots.

How do you protect your toddler's privacy online?

Don't Hold A Grudge Against Your Toddler

One of the hardest parts of parenting is when your child acts up and does something bad. It puts you on the spot to get your kid under control and can lead to a full blown temper tantrum.

When my son does something bad like pull on the curtains (he's pulled a few down!) or try to hit mommy or I during a tantrum, it's easy to lose our temper. While we both seem pretty good at keeping ourselves under control during these situations. The hardes part, though, is not holding a grudge.

In other words, I don't stay mad at him in the afternoon for something he did in the morning. It's not fair to him and it's just that much more stress for me. I'm not even sure if a 2-year old can remember why they were in trouble to begin with after several hours.




How long should we stay mad at our kids? It really depends on the situation and what the child did. In most cases, I don't think staying mad does any good for an extended period of time does any good (for the reasons cited above).

My rule is that if he stops, settles down, listens to me and starts being good, I'll forget about the incident and resume play or whatever. And I try to make a little lesson out of it by telling him that when he's good, we can have fun. It also helps to let him know that when he cooperates, it's much easier on both of us.

For example, he's gotten into the habit of throwing tantrums when I'm changing his diaper. He wiggles and tries to stand up. He cries. He does everything in his power not to get his diaper changed. To try to avoid this, I tell him that the sooner we change his diaper, the sooner we can go do (fill-in-the-blank). It's starting to work.

Not holding a grudge is hard to do, especially when it's been a stressful day or your tired or your child has really been acting up. I'll be the first to admit I've stayed mad at my son longer than I should have. It's easy to do.

If you feel yourself holding a grudge against your toddler, try to remember something cute they've done in the past, or back to when they were helpless little babies. Remembering stuff like that tends to put you child back into perspective, making it easier to be forgiving and move on.

5 Lessons Learned While Flying With A Toddler

Having recently returned from a cross-country trip with my DS to see family, I think this is a good opportunity to share some realities of traveling on a plane with a toddler.

Before I begin I should add that it was just my son and I. My wife was busy with work. So I had the monumental task of flying with a toddler that can't sit still.

1. Flying with toddler is NOT easy - Prepare for the worst.

If you and your partner are flying with you child together, the trip will be a little easier. If you're on your own, however, you'll be in for the challenge of your life.

I had everything I needed: Diapers, wipes, plenty of snacks, toys and an iPad filled with games and a full season of his favorite show, Yo Gabba Gabba. Guess what? The iPad held his attention for probably 10 -15 minutes of the entire flight.

The snacks and other toys didn't do much good either. He spend a majority of the 3-hour flight moving around (including a few kicks to the seat in front of him), standing up on the seat, fussing because I kept trying to keep him in his seat.

Like I said: Prepare for the worst.

2. Don't expect sympathy/understanding from other passengers.

Other passengers want a smooth flight without the annoyance of a fussy toddler. I'm the same way when I travel alone. But I felt especially bad for those who were unlucky enough to sit in front of us. I say the gentleman sitting in front of my DS shake his head in despair several times throughout the flight. I should've bought him a drink.

Some passengers, especially older ones, will smile and comment about how cute your child is, but that's as far as it will go. No one will volunteer to help you keep your child occupied or sit with your child so you can sleep. It ain't going to happen.

Try to stay sane by reminding yourself you will probably never see these people again. Also, the experience will make you more sympathetic to parents in the same situation.

3. Don't expect to relax or sleep unless your toddler does.

I was awake and running on full energy the entire flight. No naps. No time for reading. Nothing. If you're lucky your child might stay occupied with a game. And if you're really lucky your child might fall asleep. Cherish those rare moments and consider yourself lucky.

4. You probably won't have the only child on the plane.

This is one area you can take comfort in. Chances are there will be other small children on your flight. And they might even be more fussy than your own child. The other parents with toddlers will more likely be more sympathetic. Heck, you might even strike up a conversation with them!

5. Carry plenty of snacks and a lot of extra toys.

This didn't work for me, but I've talked to a lot of parents who say it has worked for them. The key is to bring newer toys that your toddler hasn't played with yet so he/she will be less likely to be bored with them. Bring a variety of toys. If you have a smart phone or tablet, load it with games.

Bring a lot of snacks. Don't count on getting any food on your flight. On my flight we got water and/or soft drinks. That was it. Not even a bag of peanuts. In fact, the flight attendants made us give them our food!

A nice selection of your child's favorite snacks will help when they get fussy. Don't forget to bring something to drink. Keep in mind that whatever drink your child likes, you will have to buy it at the airport after going through security. This means you will overpay for all food/drinks you buy. That $10 bottle of water I bought didn't even taste all that good.

Final Thoughts

There's no doubt that traveling with a toddler is a challenge. A lot of people say it's the hardest age to fly with your child because they have a hard time sitting still for so long. Remember that it won't last forever. The flight will end. And when you finally get off the plane you will be a better person for it. These things build character.

Finally, I should add that my son did great while on vacation. I couldn't have asked for a better son and I love him like crazy. And despite the challenge I dealt with on the 2 flights we were on, my love is unwavering.

Plus, I know that as he gets older flying with him will get easier. At least, I hope.

Potty Training Begins!

My son has officially started potty training! Even better, he did it with no coaxing from mommy and I. He started taking his pants and diapers off and begging to go into the bathroom. It took a few tries for him to actually go pee-pee in the potty, but now he's doing it. Even better, he knows when he has to go. This means he'll pee in the potty and not in his diaper (not always, but a few times a day).

I'm not saying it's totally easy. For example, he likes to flush wads of toilet paper down the toilet. Generally, after he sits for a while and tries to go pee-pee or poo-poo we let him flush a little toilet paper down. Now he'll sit on the toilet for a few seconds then go right to wanting to flush toilet paper down. He's on to our little tricks!

Another problem we face is that he loves running around the house with no pants or diapers on. So he uses the opportunity to use the bathroom as a way to run around the house half naked. Yes, on a certain level it is cute. But it's also a pain because as soon as I take him to his room to get him dressed again he gets really fussy.

Regardless of the challenges, this is a big milestone. I count it as 1 on of the big 3 milestones. The first being walking. The second is talking. And the final one is potty training. Once your kid has those 3 down they're ready to be booted out of the house and on their own. Okay, I'm kidding about that.

My wife and I weren't expecting him to start potty training him this early, so we had to scramble to buy a little toddler potty (which he refuses to use) and some basic potty training books (Everybody Poops being one of them).

Just because my DS started early doesn't mean I'm expecting a quick and painless transition from diapers to a fully potty trained toddler. I'm expecting a long and hard road ahead. If it turns out easier, then great, I'll be ecstatic. If not, then it will be just what I expect. I pray it's the former though. It'll be easier on my sanity.

My Son is Hooked On The iPad

My son, who recently turned 2, has discovered the wonders of the iPad. My wife has downloaded a dozen or so children's games for him, and they can keep him occupied for long periods of time.

Further, he knows how to use the iPad. He knows how to turn it on and off. He can swipe between pages. Adjust volume (which he always has on full blast). He knows his favorite games, and how to use YouTube.

Before you berate me for letting my son become addicted to mindless iPad games, I should add that we do try to limit his time on the device. I make sure we go outside to play and that he plays with his other toys. And we still go to Gymboree and all the other activities we have him signed up for.

My trick is to hide the iPad from him when I don't want him playing with it. Out of sight, out of mind. That way, he won't try to reach for it and get all fussy when he can't have it.

His mastery of the iPad makes me happy. It shows he's growing, getting smarter and is a little less useless. Sometimes I forget that he won't be a baby/young toddler forever. Right now it's a big celebration every time he says a new word (his newest words is "fold," which he says when I have laundry to fold). But a time will come when he won't shut up. Every parent with older kids tells me that.

Luckily for me, he has shown little interest in the TV. I keep it on during the day, mostly for background noise, and he ignores it. When he starts watching for more than a few minutes at a time I'll have to come up with a different strategy.

It's all about balance. I need to make sure he spends a lot of time playing and running around, time playing with his toys and time on the iPad/watching TV. I'm guessing as he gets older, balancing his life will become more difficult.

We Got Another Word!

My son is rapidly approaching 2. He appears to be developing great as a toddler, except in one area...talking. You can imagine then, that when he does say a new word, my wife and I are ecstatic.

Within the last week he finally learned how to say "car." He pronounces it as "caw" but he's definitely referring to the cars he sees around him.

He already says "go," which of course he pronounces as "gaw." We're hoping the soon he'll put those words together and say "car go" or "go car."

The word "go" is his favorite. As soon as I get him up in the morning he'll start saying "gaw." Even when we're driving somewhere, he'll keep repeating it. I think he likes saying it as much as he likes getting out of the house and going places.

I should add that while my DS isn't talking all that much, he understands a lot. If I tell him to go get socks, he'll go into his room and grab a pair of sock and bring them to me. I can also give him something to give to mommy, and he'll do it.

And yes, he is saying "mamma" and "dadda." Sometimes repeating them over and over again.

In the next month or two we'll be taking him to the doctor for his 2 year check-up. Hopefully she can shed some light on whether or not we should be worried about his speech development.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the words will come more frequent.

One Overlooked Cause Of Temper Tantrums

A lot of parenting is trial and error. I learn the most, not by reading books, but by figuring out what works and what doesn't with my little DS.

The one issue every parent of a toddler can identify with is temper tantrums. They're those awful few minutes where you child acts as if the world is coming to an end. Parents really earn their stripes by dealing with tantrums on a daily basis.

The Cause Of The Tantrum

Most of the time, this can be easy to figure out. With my own son, it's when he can't have something he wants or we take something away from him. He'll even throw tantrums when we're about to leave somewhere he wants to stay (like coming inside after playing outside).

Sometimes, however, there are tantrums with no identifiable cause. They just come out of nowhere. These are the toughest to deal with because they are the most frustrating for a parent.

I've figured out one reason for these tantrums-out-of-nowhere:

Boredom!

Toddlers are people too and they get bored, just like the rest of us. When we get bored we get fidgety and restless. We'll seek out something to end our boredom like watching television or surfing the internet (for example).

A toddler can't communicate what he or she wants very easily. So they get frustrated, which leads to a temper tantrum.

When my son is throwing a tantrum and there is no obvious reason why, I get on the floor and start playing with some of his toys. 9 times out 10 it's enough to stop his crying and he'll come over to play with me. He was just bored.

The next time your toddler is throwing a temper tantrum try playing with him or her. It's a simple, but very effective way of calming them down while keeping your own sanity.

Brad's Quick Parenting Tip #75: Keeping Toddler Awake In Car

I cherish my son's nap time. It's a few hours a day I can have to myself. It also means he won't be cranky in the evening before bed.

But his naps are a delicate thing. It doesn't take much to throw him off schedule, to the point where he won't take a nap at all.

For instance, when we go out and do something in the morning, where he's getting a lot of exercise, he sometimes falls asleep in the car on the way home. And if it's close to lunchtime (noon-ish) I can count on him not taking a nap that afternoon. He just won't be tired enough to fall asleep.

So I've figured out a surefire way to keep him awake in the car: His snack cup, sippy cup, and a toy or two. These three things will keep him occupied and awake. Never fails.

I've talked about the snack cup before in an earlier post. They can be lifesavers.

I try my best to keep his schedule consistant, which is why I can count on his nap times to be my break every day.

How do you keep your little one awake?

The "Sharing vs. Not Taking" Toy Dilemma

One of the fun things about letting my DS play with other kids is watching how they interact. Toddlers don't really play with each other, they play next to each other.

There's something I've noticed with parents too. It's the "sharing vs. not taking" toys dilemma. It goes something like this:

My son is playing with a toy. Another toddler comes up wanting to play with the toy and starts to grab at it. I tell my son to share, while the parent of the other child says to not grab and wait his/her turn. It's a no-win situation for the kids.

Every parent wants their child to learn good manners and to play well with others. Yet you have these opposing forces - to learn to share, and to learn not to take things.

Usually these situations end in a toss-up. The kid with the toy relents (usually at the urging of their parent) and the other kid gets the toy.

I still find it awkward. How do you handle this dilemma? I'd love to hear your answers.

The Number Of Stay-At-Home Dads Is Increasing

Sometimes it's hard to remember that this a stay-at-home dad oriented blog. A lot of my posts are about other things, like temper tantrums, or talking about the sleeping habits of my son.

However, those are the things stay-at-home parents (mom or dad) deal with daily. So I think I'm still in the loop. I just don't emphasize that I'm a dad.

Yesterday there was an article on Yahoo! News that caught my eye. It's called Is Dad The New Mom? The Rise of Stay-At-Home Fathers.

I don't want to rehash the entire article, I'll let you read it for yourself. But there are a few things worth highlighting. Like:

According to the most recent Census, the number of stay-at-home fathers in the United States has tripled in the past 10 years up to 154,000. Yet, these at-home dads are still the exception to the traditional household and many treading in unchartered parenting waters.

I've known about the incredibly low number of stay-at-home dads there are out there because of the research I'm doing for a secret project I'm working on. As a percentage of the US population, us dads are a rare breed. That means sticking together.

Which brings me to my next point:

Many at-home dads across the country have turned to the Internet for guidance and support from each other, and now there is a growing online community. Some at-home dads set up get-togethers.

 "They talk about sports and politics, but if you go in there right now they will be talking about diaper changes, sleeping challenges, so we're really talking about a lot of the stuff that moms are talking about," said Matt Schneider of "NYC Dads Group."

I've mentioned in a previous post that I joined a dad's group when my DS was about 2 months. The other dads were great. The only problem was that their kids were toddlers. So why they were playing with their kids on the playground, I was stuck sitting on the bench giving my son a bottle.

If you're a dad reading this, which I hope you are, you should embrace your job and wear it as a badge of pride.

Review: Gymboree Play & Learn Revisited

I've been taking my son to Gymboree Play & Learn since early February. I thought I'd write an update to my previous Gymboree post to tell you how it's working out.

First, my son is getting used to it. For the longest time he was very hesitant to participate in any of the activities. Now, he's pretty enthusiastic about it. I still have to coax him along. Overall though, I think he gets the idea.

His favorite activity is the parachute. At first, all the kids sit in the middle and we drag them in a circle. Then, the kids go under the parachute while the parents stand on the edges and bring the parachute up and down. He loves it! I can always count on him playing with the parachute without any coaxing from me.




Second, there is a social component to Gymboree. While the kids don't actually play together, they still interact. My son is learning to share and wait his turn. He also watches other kids and sees what they're doing. Since my wife and I will not have any more children, it's important he gets a lot of social interaction.

Third, from a parent's point of view, it can be exhausting. It's not one of those things where you take your kid there, drop them off, then fall asleep and drool all over yourself. No, the parents also participate. Further, parents are responsible for keeping their kids safe.

Don't get me wrong, Gymboree is set up to be a very toddler-friendly environment. But I still need to be by my little DS in case he loses his balance on some of the activities, falls down, etc. Don't expect the employees there to be babysitters.

One of the best parts about Gymboree is that it gets us out of the house. And it wears my son out enough that he takes a really good nap on Gymboree day.

The only downside is that Gymboree is a bit pricey. I think we pay something like $70 +/- a month.

Yes, I'd recommend Gymboree to anyone looking for something to do with their toddler besides sit at home and watch TV. If there's one close to you and you can afford the price, go for it!

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with Gymboree in any way (other than being paying customer), nor am I being compensated for writing this post. This is my personal, unbiased opinion.

The Best Father's Day Gift My Son Gave Me

I just want to wish all the dad's out there a Happy Father's Day. I know the day is pretty much over, but I figured better late than never.

My son decided to make me a present to celebrate today. It means so much more when they do something themselves, even at 22-months. I know he doesn't understand the concept of Father's Day. Yet this little drawing, complete with stickers, really made my day.

I watched him and mommy working on the table as I sat on the couch. I could see he was really enjoying this craft project. That also makes me feel good - to see him doing something that makes him happy.

I'm planning on keeping all his drawings and craft projects in a box so he can see them when he's older. My parents did that with me and it's fun to see all the things I did when I was so young.

How did you celebrate Father's Day?

What Books Do I Read To My Son?

Reading is probably one of the best things you can do for your child (besides feeding, of course). I read to my DS every day when I'm putting him down for his nap.

Sometimes I read long stories, sometimes I read shorter stories. I'm not sure if he even pays attention while he's laying in my arms, drinking his bottle. I don't think it matters, though.



With some books, especially the tactile ones that have stuff for kids to touch, he reaches his hand out to play with the book. This can complicate things a little. It's hard to read while I'm holding him in one arm, holding the book in the other and keeping him from grabbing it. There have been a few times I've just given up and put the book down.

What do I read? Good question. There's no shortage of children's books. I like to relive my own toddler years and read stuff I remember my parents read to me.

Here's a short list of my favorite children's books:

• Miss Nelson is Missing By Harry Allard, James Marshall (illustrator)
• Best Nest By P.D. Eastmon
• Goodnight Moon By Margaret Wise Brown
• Guess How Much I Love You By Sam McBratney
• Everybody Poops By Taro Gomi, Amanda Mayer Stinchecum

Okay, I'll confess that I don't read Everybody Poops to my son, at least not yet. When it comes time to potty train him though, it will be all poop all the time!

"This book is a pretentious piece of crap."

When we go to the library to check out more books, I'm often overwhelmed by the large selection. I usually look for board books that are short, but still have some substance to them (i.e. don't have just one word per page).

I try to avoid books from the library that have pop-ups because my son will rip them right off the page. I also avoid the tactile books because I don't his hands where other germy toddler hands have been. Like I said above though, tactile books are fine when we buy them from the bookstore.

I'm hoping to instill good reading habits. My parents taught me a lot by example by reading every night before bed. I still do this, and often have a hard time sleeping if I don't read before bed. If my own DS does this when he's older, I'll be more than happy.

What books do you read your child before bed?

Photo Credits: smoorenburg Used under the Creative Commons License


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What Causes Most Temper Tantrums (And How I deal With Them)?

99% of my son's temper tantrums are caused by things he can't have, or things that we take away from him. Take yesterday for example: I had to go somewhere and I had my water bottle (he LOVES my water bottle) because it was pretty freakin' hot outside. When he realized I wouldn't give him my bottle he completely broke down into a full-blown classic temper tantrum, right in the driveway.

I left before he quieted down. My wife was with him. I've dealt with plenty of tantrums to know the best way to deal with them is to not give in. In other words, ignore it.

"Give me your iPad or someone is getting hurt!"

Toddlers are trying to get a reaction that will eventually lead to getting what they want. If we give in, then they'll learn that "Hey, this crying and screaming and rolling around on the ground thing gets me anything I want. Cool!".

Sometimes it takes a lot of guesswork on my part to figure out what he wants. Since he's not talking yet, he relies on vague hand signals. If he reaches up to the kitchen counter, and there's a million things on the counter, I could spend hours trying to figure out what he wants. I'll offer him his water bottle (the one thing I'll never take away). And if nothing works, I scoot him out of the kitchen and shut the children's gate.

Usually my strategy is to keep him out of the kitchen in the first place. There's too many dangerous things in there. He tries to turn the stove on. He opens drawers were knives are kept. He's a tall toddler so a lot of things are within his reach.

Slowly I'm learning what objects he wants and will cause him to break down if he doesn't get them. I keep those things out of sight. In parenting, prevention really is the best method.

How do you deal with your toddler's temper tantrums? And what causes the most tantrums?

Photo Credit: Mindaugas Danys Used under the Creative Commons license.