Ah, the time has come. That dreaded time that nearly every parent loathes. Where our days are spent chasing around our children. Sounding like a broken record, asking their cute little faces for the hundredth time if they ‘have to go potty’.

Of course, the answer is always ‘no’.

Five minutes pass and just as you are sitting down to relax, you hear that all familiar sound. The sound of liquid hitting the floor. And that’s when you begin to reflect back on life before parenthood.

How did we end up here? But then we take a look at the cute little face again and it’s all totally worth it.

Anyway, you’re here for some potty training tips. Sometimes I get a little caught up in a dramatic entrance.

If there is one thing I could stress to you about potty training a toddler it is this.

Patience is key. Let me repeat, patience is key.

This post contains affiliate links. Read more about this here.

Before we get into the nitty gritty of potty training a toddler, lets first make sure we’ve got all the necessary supplies.

Things Needed to Potty Train a Toddler

• Plenty of Underwear (about 20-30)
• Pull-Ups, if you wish
• Mini Toilet
• Potty Seat that attaches to adult toilet
• Step Stool (to get on top of big potty)
• Potty Training Chart, if you wish
• Stickers, M&Ms or other rewards, if you’d like
• Cleaning Supplies for mini toilet and accidents
• Gloves to use while cleaning, if you wish
• Lots of Enthusiasm and Patience! ?

Potty Training Tips

Below is a list of potty training tips that we personally implemented and found to be true. These potty training tips truly did help us tremendously. However it is important to remember that each child has their own unique way of learning new things.

1.) Introduce the Potty Months Before Potty Training

We have always had somewhat of an open door policy at our home. Sure, potty time is a private time. But, it’s also important for children to understand what the bathroom is used for.

We explained to our daughter what the toilet was very early on. And we also purchased a mini toilet months before we started potty training.

Sure, we didn’t use the baby potty right away. But it helped get her accustomed to it. Plus, she enjoyed sitting on it every now and again to pretend potty.

2.) Wait Until Toddler is Ready

One of the most important potty training tips is to make sure that your toddler is ready before you start potty training. Many times we can get caught up in the comparison game.

While some children show readiness before age 2; it is common for many children to show interest around age 2.5 to 3 or so.

It’s really important to pay attention to the cues from your child to determine the right time to start potty training a toddler. Some potty training readiness signs include:

• Going longer periods of time with a dry diaper.
• Pulling at their diaper or pull-up.
• Telling you when they went potty, are going potty or when they have to go.
• Waking up from nap time with a dry diaper.
• Showing interest in the toilet.
• Hiding when they have to go to the bathroom.
• Bathroom habits become more predictable.

Choosing to potty train a toddler when they are showing signs of readiness should lead to a more successful experience.

3.) Make Sure Everyone is on Board

This is one of those potty training tips we learned by a mistake we made ourselves early on. We learned only after we started potty training the first time that the room our daughter was in at preschool did not have a toilet.

So, naturally we had no choice, but to send her in pull-ups. Which, essentially their just bigger diapers. And because they were not taking children to the bathroom, she was left to go in her pants.

Where’s the consistency in that?

It was at this point that we decided to put potty training hold. What would be the point of us potty training if she only used the toilet at home? It didn’t make sense.

Also, make sure that family is 100% committed, as well. If your children regularly stay with aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. make sure that they understand the importance of potty time.

Because again, consistency is going to be necessary for potty training to be successful.

4.) Commit 100%: Go ALL In

The first go around, we used pull-ups often. It was our security blanket so we didn’t have to worry about messes while we were out. But, in all honesty it really hindered the potty training process.

When it came to potty train our daughter, for real this time, we did things a little different. We only used a pull-up if we were going on a long trip outside of the home and at bedtime.

If she had an accident, she had an accident.

This lasted for about a week before I nixed pull-ups altogether. We ended up with a few accidents, but that’s bound to happen. Having accidents, while messier for us as parents or caregivers, is better for children. This allows them to feel and learn from the “icky” feeling.

5.) Potty Train a Toddler When Not Many Other Changes are Occurring

We gave it a few weeks to start really potty training again after our little one moved up to a new class. This was to allow her the time to adjust to a new classroom and friends. We still practiced going to the potty, but we didn’t push it.

We have learned that introducing just one “change” at a time has been more successful for us. So, if you are able to, try waiting until your child’s environment is calm before going all in with potty training.

6.) Make it Exciting

One of those super easy potty training tips. Do what you have to do to make potty training a toddler exciting.

That could mean doing a happy dance, high-fives, giving a thumbs up, lots of clapping, telling them they made you proud or just saying good job each time. Find what excites them and do it. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in potty training.

7.) Use a Potty Chart (if you feel it will help)

I honestly thought potty charts were pointless the first go around. However, I believe they attributed to our success the second time.

The chart was not just for her, but it also allowed us track her potty breaks too. We were able to learn overall general times in which we would need to try to use the bathroom.

Interested in a potty training chart?

If you’d like a copy of the potty chart we created, to help potty train a toddler, you can grab it here. We did use M&M candies as a reward and they seemed to work pretty well.

And if you’re wondering if your child will come to expect a candy each time they have to go potty?

She actually was completely over the candies, by the end of it, and stopped asking for them altogether. So in our experience, we did not have this problem.

8.) Don’t Make Potty Time an “Icky” Thing

This was something we started on. I believe I read or seen something somewhere that we shouldn’t make “eww” noises or disgusted faces as we change diapers. And I think it helped.

Also, we were pretty diligent about reaffirming that everybody uses the potty. Going to the bathroom is a very natural thing. Portraying it as anything other than that could lead to some reluctance.

9.) Be Accommodating

When it comes to potty training a toddler, sometimes you have to be a little accommodating. There were a few times where we brought the little potty out into the living room.

This only occurred on the difficult days where there was reluctance to the big toilet. However, it still allowed her to use a potty instead of going in her pants. After each time, we would move it back into the bathroom so she knew that was really where she was supposed to be going.

So now that you’ve got some tips under your belt, you might be wondering how long it’ll take.

How Long Does Potty Training Take?

The truth is that it depends. For us, I would say it took us 3 weeks to be fully potty trained. My idea of being fully potty trained is not what others may think. By other people’s standards, we were potty trained in less than a week’s time.

For me, however, being fully potty trained meant no accidents for at least one week. It also meant that we no longer had to ask her if she needed to use the potty. She let us know.

Some children may take shorter or longer to fully grasp the idea of going to the bathroom. The important things to do are to remain consistent, stay positive and go all in. Once you believe it is time to get rid of pull-ups, say goodbye to them for good. No looking back.

Good luck, Mama. You got this!

I hope that these potty training tips were helpful for you. When it comes time to potty train a toddler remember to go in with an open mind and positivity. These two things will help you throughout the process. It’s messy and it’s not easy, but it’s wonderful once you’re done!

If you found these tips helpful or know someone who could benefit, I would love if you shared others.

The post Potty Training Tips: Potty Train a Toddler appeared first on Gogo Mama.

Sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do.

However, most professionals make it very clear that TV and media limits should be put in place. And you may actually be surprised to learn what the recommended screen time for toddlers and children actually is.

We may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this post. Click here to read our disclaimer.

What is the recommended screen time for toddlers?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children aged 2 to 5 should be limited to just one (1) hour of screen time. And even better yet, children under 18 months should have no screen time.

I know what you may thinking – one hour, that’s it?! I mean, that wouldn’t even cover the time it takes to watch one Disney movie.

But here’s the thing, children are like little sponges. They soak up everything they are learning from their environment.

Have you ever watched a child while they were watching a show? It is almost as if they are in a daze. How much are they really learning while inundated in the TV?

Chances are not a lot.

And I believe that is the point that the AAP is trying to make. They even mention in their article that television decreases play, sleep, study and/or talking.

It’s important to remember these are prime years to be teaching our young children new skills. Whether it be sign language, a new language, problem-solving, socializing, the Alphabet, counting, etc.

Us, as parents, need to capitalize on these years. We need to give our children a good foundation to work with as they age.

And what about watching a movie?

Do I really think watching a movie every now and then is going to hurt? I am no medical professional, but I don’t believe so. It’s important, for you, as the parent to use your best judgement in this area.

What Kind of Screen Time for Toddlers?

So now that we know how much screen time. The next question that arises is ‘what kind of screen time for toddlers’ should we be using?

Well, the general consensus seems to be that any screen time should be educational. That’s no surprise there, really.

This next part may come as an eye-opener, however. It is also recommended that we, as parents, be watching the show along with our children.

Why, you ask?

So we can help explain what is going on in the show. For example, let’s say Clifford in ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ gets upset at Jetta because she won’t share her bones. I could explain how that made Clifford sad; that it’s nice to share, when we can.

It creates a learning opportunity for our children. And helps to expand their knowledge and language.

What exactly makes up a good, educational show? I was able to find a few examples over at GreatSchools.org. They include:

• Sesame Street
• Dora the Explorer
• Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Blue’s Clues

While not an extensive list, it does give you a starting point.

Our Personal Experience with Screen Time for Toddlers

I want to share with you what we discovered in terms of screen time for our own child.

I’m going to be straight with you. We truly did not watch television during those first 18 months of childhood.

We played, read lots of books, practiced new skills and frequently napped. And I was super proud of what we had accomplished.

Our daughter was exceeding, speaking clearly and in full sentences early on and retaining so much information.

However, things didn’t stay so hunky dory. I did mention earlier that I am not a perfect parent, right?

At age 2 things started to change a bit. We got a little more lenient on the TV time.

Then the holidays came. And we got even more lenient on how much screen time we were using.

And the next thing I know, we have a little one that is always begging “just one more show, just one more”.

So you might be wondering. Big deal, what’s the point? The point is that we (meaning my husband and I) both saw in a difference in our child.

We found everything the AAP was saying to be 100% true.

Our nap and bedtimes were a mess, we were playing and using our imaginations less and we weren’t setting aside enough time to learn new skills.

Luckily, at this young age, it’s not that difficult to turn around bad habits. And while we could be better still, it is something that we are constantly working towards to improve.

How We Can Do Better

I, full-heartedly believe, that overall as a society, we can do better in the amount of television and media our children are consuming. And I also understand that for some of us, it can be difficult to overcome.

Many households have one parent trying to do it all or both parents working full-time jobs. Whatever the reason may be, I get that it can be hard.

My advice would be to start small. Maybe cut the after-preschool showing, go outside instead. Or eat at the dinner table and not in front of the TV.

Every little bit adds up and will help in the long run.

Stuck inside and need a little inspiration?

Check out this extensive 53 indoor activities list to get you started.

The post Screen Time for Toddlers: How Much is Too Much? appeared first on Gogo Mama.

It is important to remember that although the below is essential, it is equally important for you to have your financials in order. This means having your own life insurance for yourself and spouse, be contributing to a retirement plan and have a Will in place.

After you have ensured financial responsibility on yourself and/or spouse, now it is time to get your financials in order for baby. Did you know that it is estimated that it costs $250,000 to raise a child?

That’s right. It costs two hundred and fifty THOUSAND dollars to raise a child in today’s world. Makes you reconsider all those times you gave your parents a hard time when you didn’t get what you want, huh?

Yes, raising a child is expensive, but they are worth it. If God was to bless us with another child or two, we would open our arms (and bank accounts) widely and take them right in. That’s why hand me downs were created for anyway, right?!

Well I’m sure you’re wondering how to prepare yourself financially for children. Of course, you are! That’s why you clicked on this post in the first place. So, let’s get into it.

How to Financially Prepare for a Baby

1. Add Baby to Health Insurance

Once baby has arrived, it is time to get them added to your health insurance. You have just 30 days from your baby’s birthdate to get this completed. Therefore, it is best to take care of it right away. 

Talk with your Human Resource department before baby’s arrival and get all documents in order. You will not need to wait until your baby’s social security card arrives to complete their enrollment onto your plan. This information can be provided at a later date.

You really will not want to miss this window. While some insurance companies may accept you on the plan as an exception, there is no guarantee that they will. If you miss the window to get your baby onto the plan, you could find yourself in a headache of a situation.

When an exception is not granted, you could face thousands of dollars’ worth of medical bills. If an exception is granted, then you are faced with dealing with resubmissions and ensuring that all medical bills have been reworked.

Save yourself the headache and make taking care of insurance one of your top priorities. You will be thankful you did.

2. Set up a College Fund

College is expensive. Do we need to say anything more here?

In all seriousness, it is essential to set up a college fund for your baby. Even if you cannot contribute that much to it right away, every little bit will help. There are also tax benefits that come with opening certain college funds, such as a 529 college plan.

If you haven’t heard, regulations have also changed in regards to financial responsibility for college loans. College students are now capped out on the maximum amount of loans they can take out per year. This means that anything over the maximum will either need to come from scholarships, grants or … you guessed it, loans taken out/paid by you, the parents.

We are huge proponents of accounts that help our money work for us. This means putting money into say a 529 college plan – as mentioned above. A savings account or even a CD isn’t going to earn you much in interest nowadays.

With a college plan, your money is invested in the stock market. You can set it up the way you like. Have your money placed in riskier accounts that potentially earn you higher returns or go the safer route.

If you are not well versed in college plans, then I highly recommend that you speak with a financial advisor. Or even someone you trust that invests and understands how college plans work. Here’s an article from Baby Center that also goes more in depth to college funds. 

In any regard, stay ahead of the game by starting a college fund as soon as possible. Eighteen years is going to fly by faster than you think.  

3. Continue to Contribute to Savings Account

If you already have a savings account, excellent! Work hard to continue to contribute to your savings account. You may even want to consider upping the amount you contribute to it each month.

Years sneak up on you with children and before you know it, they are entering high school. You know what high school consists of – school dances, extracurricular activities, class rings and first cars. All things that cost money!

Not to mention unknown accidents that may occur. Things such as broken bones, dental procedures, orthodontia and the list can go on. If you are not contributing to a FSA or HSA account, be sure you are saving for these unknowns elsewhere.

Be better prepared for these expenses by throwing a little more money into your savings account. 

4. Purchase Life Insurance

Nobody wants to think about losing a child; I hate even typing this out. However, the fact is that you should ensure that all family members are covered by life insurance. This means taking a life insurance policy out on your baby.

The first step before purchasing any life insurance policy is to check with your Human Resource department. Some companies actually pay for family life insurance. This means your baby could be covered for free.

If your company does not have a life policy option for your children, don’t fret. There are so many companies out there that offer life insurance policies. You could start by checking with your homeowners or car insurance company. 

5. Set up a Savings Account for your Child

I know, I know. You’re thinking I should up my savings account, start a college plan and contribute to my child’s savings account too?! Hear me out, though.

Children receive money for many things throughout their lifetime. Baptisms, birthdays and holidays come to mind. Set up a savings account for your child to have one central place to place these funds.

Having a savings account will also help your child learn the value of money as they grow older. Maybe you will allow them to use their savings account to buy a special toy or gift for their friend. Or maybe you will choose to keep the account secret until they are 18 and hand it over.

Either way, setting up a separate savings account for your child is an excellent way to save the money your child will receive throughout their years.

If this list seems overwhelming, take each piece one by one. We personally waited about year before starting a college fund for our child. However, after a year we can say that we have been able to tick off each one of these boxes. Remember, it doesn’t have to be much to start with. Just get the ball rolling and start planning to have a better financial outlook for your child. 

If you skipped to the bottom, here’s how to financially prepare for a baby. 

1. Add baby to health insurance
2. Set up a college fund
3. Continue to contribute to savings account
4. Purchase life insurance
5. Set up a savings account for your child

Do you have any other recommendations? Let me know in the comments below! 

The post How to Financially Prepare for a Baby appeared first on Gogo Mama.

With that said, I want to be very clear up-front. There are no cry-it-out methods here. So if you’re looking for these types of tips, sorry Charlie, but they won’t be found within this page.

And before implementing any of the below, you should always make sure there aren’t any other underlining reasons your baby is crying.

If they are hungry, wet or need to be changed, these should always be addressed. And of course, if you ever have any questions always consult your pediatrician.

Below are the seven things we did, on the regular, to help our baby sleep when nothing else worked.

*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I make a small commission should you chose to make a purchase through my links. These funds help support our family and allow me to continue operating this blog. 

1. Use a Baby Swing/ Glider

If you do not have a baby swing or glider, then it’s time to hop on that right now. Seriously, the baby swings and gliders are probably one of the best inventions for babies … ever!

Now, a word of caution. Never ever leave a baby unattended in a baby swing or glider. They can be great for a cat nap when baby is supervised. But do not use them for bed time.

Always make sure that baby’s head is positioned correctly. Newborns have no control of their necks.

This means that their head can slump, which can lead to their airways being closed off. Which essentially means baby can not breathe.

I really really loved our Graco Glider when our daughter was real small. It reclined and had vibration and back and forth movement.

The baby swing we used was a hand-me-down and did the job well. It seems to be a popular choice amongst moms.

2. Sing to Them

Who up in here likes FREE?! ?‍♀️

Alright, so maybe your singing voice resembles that of wolves howling at the moon. But I promise your baby doesn’t think that. To them, you have the most beautiful voice ever.

And would you know that your voice could just have magical powers? On a whim (way before that Facebook video went viral), I put our daughter to my chest and sang “Rock a Bye Baby” to her.

I couldn’t believe it when it calmed her down almost instantly. And then not much later she fell right asleep.

I’d really like to give credit to my wonderful soothing singing voice. However, it is much more likely to be the vibration coming from our chests that help soothe baby.

Either way, this was one of our go-to methods for many many months.

3. Go on a Car Ride

The old wives tales you’ve heard about car rides are true. If push comes to shove, try taking a bumpy car ride to help baby get to sleep. 

Keep in mind that you will need to take baby out of the carseat when you get home. A baby should never be left in their carseat to sleep. So, if you’ve got a light sleeper on your hands, this may not be the best method for you.

4. Use a White Noise Machine or Play Lullabies

White noise and lullabies can help mask household noise and provide a soothing environment for baby. You can purchase white noise machines, utilize your Alexa or Google Home or even use your phone. 

White noise and lullabies work wonderfully for some children. However there is a word of caution.

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that these machines can contribute to infant hearing loss.

In a study, 14 infant white noise machines were tested. It was concluded that all, but one, were above the recommended noise limits for infants. It also mentions that regular use could affect hearing, speech and language development.

The recommendation is to keep noise machines set to a low volume and move the machine over 200cm (or 79in) away from baby’s crib.

         

5. Use Soft Touches

Babies are just like most adults. They like those soft touches just as much as we do. Some things you could do help baby sleep include:

• Gently rubbing forehead to bridge of nose
• Very lightly rubbing their head
• Softly patting back and bottom 

6. When baby won’t sleep, try rocking.

It’s no secret that babies love to be rocked. If you don’t have a rocking chair, don’t fret! Simply put baby in your lap, facing you and rock back and forth. It’s a little more exhausting, but has a similar affect.

During those real tough nights, try using a trifecta while rocking. For example, rock, sing and pat bottom. And, yes, this trifecta does work for some babies. Ask me how I know! 

7. Establish a Routine 

While routines won’t work for babies in their newest newborn stage, you can begin to establish a routine within the following few months or so. Parents.com even states to start as early as 6-8 weeks old.

Babies will come to appreciate the predicability of their bedtime routine. You could, for example, at the time of bedtime, bathe, read a book and then lay down to bed. The biggest thing to remember is to stay consistent with whatever you choose. 

————-

It’s important to remember that all babies are different. What worked for us may not work for you. It was a lot of trial and error on our end and soon enough you will figure out what comforts your baby, as well. 

How to Help Baby Sleep in a Nutshell

• Use a baby swing and or glider (only when adult is awake, present and can monitor baby)
• Sing to baby
• Go on a slightly bumpy car ride
• Play white noise or lullabies
• Gentle, soft touches.
• Rocking
• Establish Bedtime Routine

I’d love to know. Do you have any tips or tricks on how you have helped your baby sleep? Leave a comment below and let’s help out our fellow mamas!

The post 7 Sleep Tricks for Babies when Nothing Else Works appeared first on Gogo Mama.