Why haven't I thought of that?

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by kingeomer, Nov 23, 2010.

  1. kingeomer

    kingeomer Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I thought I would start a thread for us to share the ideas of things we wish we knew sooner or things that have made our parenting lives easier. :)

    1. Apple slices with a little orange blossom honey...my kids absolutely love this as part of their lunch or breakfast...if I only thought about it a year ago!
    2. My mother gave me the idea when she has to take the kids to the car (and mine insist on walking), she will have one hold onto her pants while she puts the other in a carseat, by having the other one hold onto her pants, she knows he or she is still there.
    3. My two are a little older, so this one might be useful for when your kids are older...but I have been having a difficult time getting the kids to sit still on our dining room chairs during meal time. They would get up so many times and meal time was taking forever. One of my best friends suggested using a timer and giving them a set time to eat...and so far it's worked :faint:

    Share yours!
     
    2 people like this.
  2. MNTwinSquared

    MNTwinSquared Well-Known Member

    Awesome advice! ! I"ll have to buy some timers!!
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. h2believe

    h2believe Well-Known Member

    I'm sure this isn't something new to most of you, but it was the first time I'd heard of it when I attended my multiples birthing class. Anyway, here it is:

    Double or even triple pad your matress for your toddlers (or babies)! I put a waterproof mattress pad, sheet, waterproof mattress pad, sheet, etc. If we have an accident or a leak at night, I don't have to turn the light on and wake the other sleeping twin (they share rooms here!). So quick and easy to just pull off the top layer sheet and waterproof pad and voila! the kid can go right back to sleep once they are all clean (I change them in the bathroom so not to disturb the sleeping one).

    Looking forward to other neat ideas!
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. newpairofschus

    newpairofschus Well-Known Member

    LOVE this topic, Nancy!! And for the record, we use an analog clock w/ the alarm set for our painfully slow eater, too. I can vouch that it really does work, plus as a bonus it's helped him learn to tell time, too! Great tip!

    Store parking lots: I am always paranoid about what is going on w/ one kid (either in a cart or stroller) while I'm getting the other ones in the van. I worry that the cart will roll away from the van, or if we park next to an empty spot, I'm afraid someone might whip in and not see the cart there before it's too late. So if there's a cart corral, I ALWAYS park next to it. Then I can wheel the cart or stroller (yes, even my sbs Combi) into the corral and unload them from there. And I always load up the kid(s) on the closest side of the van first so I don't have to worry about a kid sitting out there alone on the other side of the van while I climb, situate, buckle, etc. It's a simple little thing to do, but I always feel so much more in control of their whereabouts.

    Retrieving tossed toys, sippies, pacis, etc. while driving: My kids are "chuckers," as we call them. They loooove to throw their stuff around. I bought a little plastic toy garden hoe and use this to rake things back into my reach. In my van, the only place I can't reach is directly behind the second row seats and next to the 2nd row passenger door. Everything else I can put back into play without endangering all of us to do some incredible stretches and contortions. Also, since one twin is a righty and the other a lefty, for longer trips I always seat them so that their dominant hand is in the middle of the van so that most stuff will land there.

    I can't wait to read more!! :)
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. Danibell

    Danibell Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I put all my kids into our vehicle on the same side, every time, the passenger side. When my oldest ds (8 yrs old) is with us, he gets in first, then I put both babies in, and then my oldest dd (4 yrs old) gets in. My oldest ds will buckle one baby into the 3rd row seat, while I buckle my older dd and the other baby. When my oldest isn't with us, my dd gets in first, and moves around the back to my ds's seat, and I put both the twins in. Then I climb in and buckle the twins in and as I climb back out, my dd comes back and sits in her booster seat and I buckle her in. Our Yukon XL has a full bench 3rd row, and captain's chairs in the middle, so I can just climb into the middle of the vehicle to buckle everyone in. I have one twin in the 3rd row and one in the second row, both on the drivers side.

    This way all the kids are in the vehicle and no-one can disappear on me, or get run over in our crazy parking lots!!

    Singing a "clean up" song encourages my kids to help me clean up, it's been working since my oldest ds was about 2 yrs old. Now, when I bust into song, everyone starts cleaning up the living room! :D It's a Laurie Berkner song I think...

    Gee I'll have to do some more thinking, I'm drawing a blank right now! :lol:
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    LOVE the garden hoe. That is hilarious! LOLOLOL!

    I also do the get in one side of the car thing! I like it!


    When I make pancakes, muffins or any baked goods I add oatmeal or cream of wheat to it. Sneaks in extra nutrients.

    Ovaltine. My kids do NOT eat meat or get enough iron. OVALTINE has kept us ON TOP of this! Such a great thing!! There is a reason it has been around for ions!

    I'm very good w/ this stuff, that's all I can think of right now, I'm sure I'll come up w/ more but what a great idea!
     
    1 person likes this.
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