Travel toddler bed…Can you ever go back to the crib?

Our kid has been big from day one, well proportioned but big. His is measurements are always off the charts! The day we came home, we quickly packed up the infant Onesies and moved up to the next size. But there’s been one major problem with his above average proportions. The pack and play. He’s tall enough to climb out and he can barely stretch out.

While traveling last summer we were concerned he might escape and explore my brother’s engineering home office. Word of warning for traveling parents visiting engineers, nothing in an engineering household is safe or childproofed. Everything in their house will probably maim your child. Be prepared to freak out at every turn!

Well he’s still in the crib (we’re just not ready for the big kid bed – seems like opening Pandora’s Box), summer vacation is fast approaching and the bed dilemma is now a hot topic. He’d probably climb out if we put him in the pack & play and he really doesn’t fit either.

We’ve decided to buy him a toddler travel cot or inflatble bed for the trip and put him back in the crib when we get home…we hope this works. Every air mattress I have slept on has me waking up at 2am lying on the ground. Then 30 minutes of fiddling with air pump just to wake up at 6am lying on the ground again. So we’re going with the toddler fold up cot!

Wish us luck

Tips for Parents with Infants - Rule 4

Rule 4 - Poop-splosion!

Maybe it's the sleep deprivation, mal-nutrition or our beginner parenting status but this rule came to us slowly... Maybe daycare made the size upgrade suggestion or we came to the realization during the 30th emergency change.

Diapers should come with large labels saying "Warning - Explosions are one sign to go up a diaper size". Full disclosure - I never read the diaper installation manual provided by the manufacturer and we threw out most of the manuals during the first week. In Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell writes that you need 10,000 hours to become an expert. So using Gladwell's theory you'll be an expert around 15 months, but your subject keeps changing and growing daily!

No need to throw out all the old ones...just send them into daycare. Keep the next diaper size on hand, see if the change works and tell all your friends about Rule #4. If you can keep a few parents sane we are helping the world to be a better place (thats a bold statement).

Tips for Parents with Infants - Rule #3

The following situation is going to happen and is related to Rule #2. 

The fog briefly clears one morning as you are wiping something off your child, when you realize Babies-R-Us vomited all over your house. You can't explain how it happens but it slowly creeps into your house. A second height chair here, baby swing over there and piles of clothes that you could swear your child only wore for a day.

Rule #3 - Find a Family 1 Year Out The fun part of Rule #3 is that these parents find you! Daily they trip over toys and prop up stacks of ill-fitting clothes in closets and attics. In some cases they are tired of explaining to their two year old how their favorite shirt hasn’t fit for months.

Beware, they’re just going to drop it off and your probably going to trip over it as you walk into your office or onto you back porch. You may need to scrape off unidentifiable with a butter knife but the sweat equity will be worth the cost savings!

Photo By Mariamen (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Tips for Parents with Infants - Rule #2

A family close to ours had their child six weeks prior to our son being born and over time I developed Rule #2 - Make friends with a family who child is two months older than yours. I always joked that this family was the reason my wife an I were always so composed. (sigh...)

You watch the other parents make "mistakes", then you look like supper parents because nothing phases you. I  believe that the two month gap is crucial to enhancing your parenting skills. The other family has a couple weeks to figure out each situation, a few weeks to adapt and then report back on what they've learned. The rule is hokey but it works and you look like a champ. Plus your kid doesn't "suffer" through your learning curve so they're happier.

This isn't a one sided either, as the other parents are sharing their learning with you they cement their skills and are better prepared. See how great you are for letting other parents share their mistakes...way to go you!

Image http://www.marines.mil/unit/hqmc/PublishingImages/ASYMCA%20-%20High%20Res%20-%202.jpg

Three Little Pigs remixed!

Wait! No Paint! Bruce Whatley

I opened this book thinking it was just another take on a classic children's story and was thrown for a loop on the second page. You'll enjoy how the artist/narrator breaks through the page and interacts with the characters. The book travels in directions you would not have expected and rethinks the Three Little Pigs. Worth picking up at you local library or adding to your collection if you can get a good deal.

Tips for Parents with Infants - Rule #1

1. Wear Earplugs

 

This post is part 1 of a 10 part series.

Everyone I mention earplugs too looks at me like I have 4 heads! New parents are sleep deprived, malnourished and in a totally new setting. Ear protection keeps you sane! Pop in some earplugs or slap in some earmuffs in those tough situations when you are soothing your child.

Technically minded? You will love this post from Lazer Mom, she goes into the physics and has graphs, studies, etc. Laser Mom also points to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). 

Lots of health professionals will tell you that if the baby is fed, changed, and all their needs are met and they are still crying you can put the baby in their bed and go in the other room for a few minutes to wind down....and get away from the crying. Earplugs will protect you from the dangerously high decibels and allow you to soothe your baby.

Lowering the decibels of your child's screaming will lower your stress level in this new situation. Remember, I said soothing these aren't for ignoring your baby.  

Finally I am not a health professional here is some additional info on dealing with a screaming child. http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/sbs.html

4 Ways to Make Story Time More Interesting

Neeta Lind / Foter.com / CC BY

It's another night and you are wondering how you are going to read If You Give a Moose a Muffin one more time. It's the millionth time you've read it, you can recite the words in your sleep and if given the option you could present the book to your team at work. They would give you a standing ovation, you know the book that well. Time to put your Parent of the Year hat on and make story time more exciting for you...I mean the kid.

1. Mix-up the the Words Chances are your child can't read yet, so if you mix up the words for your sanity no-one is going to notice. Your child may even be bored with the words you've been reading them. We'll if your kid is like mine they know all the words and will probably let you know you're messing it up. Let them know it's Daddy's version 2.0 and continue on with the story.

2. Their Story Ask your child to make up their own words to the story. Everywhere you look is an article on raising creative children. So give them the reigns to the story car, you might be surprised to hear what comes out of your kids mouth. Take notes you might have an award winning children's book that will pay for your summer house or college!

3. Make your own Seek & Find Ask you child to point out objects on the page or count the number of items. You can also work on colors, letters and numbers. Don't think too hard here...just pick something out.

4. Start Backwards Theres an old joke that says if you play a country song backwards your dog comes back, your wife comes back and you're rehired at your job. In full disclosure, I've never tried reading a story from back to front but it's worth a tried and might be fun.

Let me know how you've made story time more exciting and the advice you give to other parents in the comments below.