Share your mommy wisdom here!

JillRock96 · February 2011

I was thinking the other day about all of the tips I've learned from other moms, especially the women here (like Howleyshell's famous "toy up the nose" trick). What are some mommy tips and tricks you've picked up along the way? Share them here!

JillRock96 · February 2011

- For slippery finger foods that are hard to pick up (like pieces of pear/banana), sprinkle some oatmeal cereal or Cheerio dust over them. The coating makes them much easier for the baby(ies) to grasp.

- For a toddler who resists teeth brushing, those battery operated brushes are a miracle. Ava now LOVES to brush her teeth and reminds us several times a day!

mrsolsenk12 · February 2011

If you have to take a 1,2, or even 3 year old to a car dealership or a repair shop for your car (where you have to wait) bring a laptop and a favorite DVD. We had to do this, this morning and the DVD worked wonders. He sat down with his snack and watched his Thomas DVD. It wasn't loud enough to disturb the others (2 or 3) who were also waiting.

Cassian · February 2011

When in doubt, whip it out.

For my situation, the boob is king.

JillRock96 · February 2011

I posted the other day about how awesome the Aquadoodle mat is, but the little travel Magnadoodle is awesome as well. We use it in the car, at restaurants, in the cart at Target, etc. Sometimes Ava just draws on her own, and sometimes I'll draw letters/shapes/numbers, etc. for her to learn.

I don't know why, but throwing a bunch of random toys inside a laundry basket is like giving them a basket of brand new toys. The twins love to tip the basket over, throw things out, toss them back in, etc. If I throw a few clean washcloths in the basket, too, it's like Christmas morning. Actually allows me to fold some laundry!

JillRock96 · February 2011

Cassian:
When in doubt, whip it out.

For my situation, the boob is king.

Love it! Nice slogan!

LVBlvd · February 2011

For moms of 2 or more, here are some things I have learned that help with my older child:

when rocking the baby(ies) down for a nap, I have Paige get her baby, come into the nursery with me, and tell her to please rock her baby because it is nap time. She sits quietly on the floor, wraps her baby up in the blanket, and holds her. It is adorable, keeps her out of trouble and in my sight!

I say things to the twins like, "You guys are going to have to be patient and wait until I have finished feeding/changing/what have you Paige. It is her turn right now and you are just going to have to wait." That way, she doesn't always feel like I am telling her to wait - it goes both ways.

I also say things like, "Jack, I'm sorry but you can't go to school. School is just for Paige because she is a big girl." I have no clue if she processes what I'm saying, but I know someday she will , and I hope it helps make her feel like she is doing something "cool" that her baby brothers don't get to do yet.

I get the twins on the floor, have Paige get a book and read to them. She just flips through the pages and talks toddler speak, but it is my best attempt at interacting with all three kids at the same time.

lolalillie · February 2011

For little girls, buy a lot of camisole onesies in the summer to go under outfits in the winter. They go better with outfits than short sleeved onesies and are hard to come by in the winter.

When in doubt act silly. Whenever my son is happy, sad, scared, etc., acting silly can work wonders.

LVBlvd · February 2011

JillRock96:
I posted the other day about how awesome the Aquadoodle mat is, but the little travel Magnadoodle is awesome as well. We use it in the car, at restaurants, in the cart at Target, etc. Sometimes Ava just draws on her own, and sometimes I'll draw letters/shapes/numbers, etc. for her to learn.
I don't know why, but throwing a bunch of random toys inside a laundry basket is like giving them a basket of brand new toys. The twins love to tip the basket over, throw things out, toss them back in, etc. If I throw a few clean washcloths in the basket, too, it's like Christmas morning. Actually allows me to fold some laundry!

So thankful for the aquadoodle rec! I love that thing! Paige is obsessed with drawing right now. She draws a line and yells, "Line!" Then she draws another and yells, "Two lines!" It goes on until 3 or 4, then she gets confused : ) It is awesome.

Cassian · February 2011

JillRock96:
Cassian:

When in doubt, whip it out.

For my situation, the boob is king.

Love it! Nice slogan!

Heh, thanks! It's the cure-all for everything

GypsyEsq · February 2011

Cassian:

When in doubt, whip it out.

For my situation, the boob is king.

Amen! Many a meltdown avoided with that!

ETA: if you keep an emergency diaper bag in the car make sure it has size and weather appropriate clothing and also the right size diaper. We have one and the CD is fine but the clothing we needed the last time was outgrown

Also, if you keep some toys in the car don't forget to change them out every once and a while.

And, as your toddlers destroy crayons, save the pieces and then melt them down in a muffin tin when you have a whole bunch. You get a fun new color cake that is easy to hold and fun to color with.

keg · February 2011

Cassian:

When in doubt, whip it out.

For my situation, the boob is king.

And when they get older...fruit snacks become the new king. I try to always keep some in my purse and that has allowed me to finish quite a few shopping trips. :-) Little boxes of raisins work well too.

PhillySue · February 2011

LVBlvd:

For moms of 2 or more, here are some things I have learned that help with my older child:

when rocking the baby(ies) down for a nap, I have Paige get her baby, come into the nursery with me, and tell her to please rock her baby because it is nap time. She sits quietly on the floor, wraps her baby up in the blanket, and holds her. It is adorable, keeps her out of trouble and in my sight!

I say things to the twins like, "You guys are going to have to be patient and wait until I have finished feeding/changing/what have you Paige. It is her turn right now and you are just going to have to wait." That way, she doesn't always feel like I am telling her to wait - it goes both ways.

I also say things like, "Jack, I'm sorry but you can't go to school. School is just for Paige because she is a big girl." I have no clue if she processes what I'm saying, but I know someday she will , and I hope it helps make her feel like she is doing something "cool" that her baby brothers don't get to do yet.

I get the twins on the floor, have Paige get a book and read to them. She just flips through the pages and talks toddler speak, but it is my best attempt at interacting with all three kids at the same time.

Fantastic tips! Hopefully I will need these in about 9 months ; )

choco_lab · February 2011

Don't run into the room when they first cry. A LOT of the times they will put themselves back to sleep if you give them a few minutes. I learned this from this board when we were putting DS in his own room and it really saved me. The temptation is there to run in and swoop them up but it really pays to hold off and let them figure it out on their own.

laura&dan05 · February 2011

H loves being a helper these days so I try to think of ways that she can be my "helper" all of the time to avoid tantrums and meltdowns.

When I'm making a grocery list I give her a pen/pencil and paper so she can make her own list. We put it in her coat pocket and when we get to the store she "reads" it to me. She'll tell me it says "apple" or "milk" and we get those items as she reads them off her list. It keeps her entertained and she feels like she's helping me.

When I have to nurse Josh I ask her to bring some books from her room and read to us. If she's not intersted in books I ask her to bring a puzzle to show Josh how to put it together. She holds up the pieces and announces what they are as she puts them in the correct spot. It usually keeps her entertained long enough for me to nurse him.

If she starts to have a meltdown about going upstairs for her bed time routine I tell her we need to check for the moon. She loves looking out her bedroom window for the moon so she goes upstairs right away. Once we are up there and check for the moon we can go on with bed time without any drama.

roaringrock · February 2011

curious george, dora, winnie the pooh and elmo band-aids work better than any sweet! if a little bribery is needed or you sense a meltdown approaching, a cartoon band-aid works wonders.

DavezWife · February 2011

a bit child-temperment specific, but my favs:

1. Ava is timid like Daddy, and needs to "practice" her social graces. We hit the grocery store on Senior Tuesday during the height of their "rush hour" and she gets to wear something nutty like her tutu, funny hat, sunnies, etc and she gets to push her own cart and help me shop. The tutu pulls them in, and we practice things like introducing herself, asking their names, etc. stuff. The grammies are easy targets, very calm and slow for her, and she's come a long way! It's often our "activity" for the day, so we take our time, and don't rush.

2. At the Mall of America, there's a LARGE blue mascot Shark that roams around for the Underwater World. Ava HATES said shark. Every time we go she's looking in fear for that damn fish, and ruins what could be a nice visit for her. Seeing him terrifies her to tears. Well, one day I decided to GIVE HER BACK THE POWER over that fish, and the whole way there we practiced what she was going to say if she saw him... "Shark, get your FINS BACK TO THE OCEAN! NOW!" and she then learned she was the boss over this shark. We have yet to get close enough to him to really USE this, but she now isn't scared, she can't WAIT to see him, to tell him exactly where to shove it. lol.

GuitaristsGirl · February 2011

laura&dan05:

If she starts to have a meltdown about going upstairs for her bed time routine I tell her we need to check for the moon. She loves looking out her bedroom window for the moon so she goes upstairs right away. Once we are up there and check for the moon we can go on with bed time without any drama.

That's so sweet! Love it!

TheSkimmy · February 2011

Drink- it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

laura1 · February 2011

For a picky toddler, lots of cheers when he takes a bite works wonders. I once got DS to eat a half of a sandwich by doing full cheers (spelling his name, jumping up and down, yay!). Unfortunately, he now takes a bite and looks at me with a smile, saying yay - he expects cheering whenever he eats anything now!

If your kid won't wear a hat...get them one with a character or thing that they love on it. DS LOVES fire trucks - so we got him a fire truck hat. He wanted to wear that around the house all the time, where he wouldn't wear any hats before that!

For bad weather days, take all the cushions/pillows off of the couches and make and obstacle course. It keeps DS busy for up to an hour and he burns lots of energy!!

BoilerSuz · February 2011

I almost always have two tops ready for every pants when I lay out DS outfits for the week. If he wakes up in a foul mood he can pick his shirt for more ownership to eliminate arguments. DH has him alone on Thursdays so the outfit is always something he loves like a sport jersey with special socks. I do what I can to make everyone happy including dad who is always in a hurry.

I use DS extra artwork from DC as matting for pictures at work. Not only do I get to see his perfect face but I also get to see the art he is so proud of.

All of DS's cups, plates, forks etc are kept in drawers at his level. He can help himself to water from the fridge whenever he wants. Squeezy yogurt and washed fruit are kept on the lower shelves of the fridge as well.(if he wants an entire pint of blueberries it's fine by me) It gives him control of getting what he wants and I can control what it is that he's selecting from.

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