Toilet training? There is always a new detail to make it work!

Peter is now almost three years old and is still not toilet trained. He has always talked about having some of the perks that go with that achievement.

-Playing on the big slide.

-Getting a bigger cup for drinks.

-Getting a bigger spoon for meals.

-Line up with his friends to go to the bathroom before outside playtime instead of with the younger children to have a diaper change.

He finally says one day that he is ready to be toilet trained and we are very excited and supportive.

However, he goes days without any success. This is not really that unusual and everyone remains very positive including Peter.

After the interminable time of two full weeks of trying, he is partially successful. We share with him that we are not sure he has really emptied his bladder (we are looking for yellow water). We decide after an extended time to let him get off the toilet. Ten minutes later, he has had an accident and is somewhat concerned when this incident is shared with his dad at pick up time.

After two more days of the same experience, it is obvious he is having difficulty emptying his bladder. We decide to make a few changes to help him.

1. We lift the rim of the toilet so his body is at a different angel on the toilet. His backend is lower than his knees.

2. Instead of just pushing his clothes down to his ankles, we actually remove them so his legs have some flexibility and his body can be a little lower and more comfortable.

3. Finally, for the next two days he is able to completely empty his bladder each time he uses the toilet.

4. The next day he asks to be excused from the lunch table to pee and guess what? He has a huge B.M. at the same time.

He is awed by his performance and we have learned a new emergency technique.

There are high fives all around.

“I don’t need diapers any more ever!”

I hope this helps anyone out there looking for a new idea to achieve success.

Good luck!

Sleep Bags? What are they really for? How long should they be used?

This subject only seems to be discussed when we discover that sleep bags are being used for children attending our daycare when they are at home.

They do not seem like a comfortable and natural way for an infant to be clothed while sleeping since they essentially restrict their movements.

Several situations have been shared with us:

-My son had a habit of flailing his arms as soon as we would put him in his crib. He was so active that he had a hard time falling asleep and we were advised to use a sleep bag.

-I automatically used one because I thought it would keep my daughter warmer during the cold months.

-My pediatrician recommended swaddling my infant and using a sleep bag as a normal thing to do. We never were advised when we should discontinue it, and finally when he outgrew it, he was always having difficulty falling asleep and turned into a poor sleeper.

We believe that having an infant sleep on their stomach is the most natural way. However many of you are following one of the guidelines of the CDC to prevent SIDS and are having your infant sleep on their back in their early months. The sleep bag can possibly be a benefit to prevent your infant from flailing or playing and having difficulty sleeping.  

Once your infant can turn over at will, you may want to place them in regular pajamas. This reduces their ability to play, increases the soundness of the sleep time, and allows movement upon awakening.

Infants who have had a restful sleep will wake up happy and entertain themselves in their crib. This is also an environment for their first experience at pulling themselves up and practicing early waking time.

If you feel safer keeping them in a sleep bag a while longer, we suggest that it not be past their first birthday.

Movement and independent physical activity and challenges is an important part of their physical development.

Don’t physically confine you child unless it is in their best interest.

Good luck!

An Update On My Exciting Journey With Wonderschool!

We are launching a fellowship program with a first meeting scheduled for April 21st 2018!

If you are interested you can sign up HERE!

This is a program for:
1. Current Wonderschool family care providers.
2. All current family care providers.
3. Individuals interested in opening a family day care.

The fellowship program will educate in all areas of the Smart Parent/Smart Child philosophy.

This is a philosophy that was considered revolutionary when I opened my daycare. It has now been validated by long term scientific research.

You will be educated, given the necessary knowledge, and mentored to become a successful childcare provider.

You will be able to rely on an ongoing support system.

Please sign up for our first introductory meeting!

Hope to see you there!

Good Luck!