Tag: Practical suggestions

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Terrified of the Terrible Twos? How About Terrific Twos Instead!

Yes, it is true that two-year-old children don’t have much impulse control or emotion regulation skills and that coupled with their very strong preferences has given them a bad reputation as irrational and explosive. I’ve been told all sorts of things about “the terrible twos,” especially when I was a nanny and again as I prepared for motherhood. But it really doesn’t have to be this way. Tantrums and other toddler behaviors that are difficult for us are actually just a signal that a child’s needs aren’t fully being met. Luckily, we CAN meet those needs and enjoy far less of those pesky behaviors. read more

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Do You Recognize the 7 Warning Signs of a Toddler About to Hit or Bite?

It seems to come out of nowhere. One second your toddler is playing peacefully near a friend, and the next moment the other child is running to you screaming, “He bit me!” or “She hit me!” You feel embarrassed, confused, and unsure how to proceed. Meanwhile the other child’s mom is staring at you like, “Aren’t you going to DO something about this?!”

You’re sure your friend or family member is expecting you to put your child in time out, but you’ve heard that punishment undermines your connection with your child, so what to do? read more

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My Top 10 Most Popular Posts of 2012

In the past I used to write whatever I wanted on this blog and I still do that to a large extent. But this year I had a shift. I realized that I want this blog, this website, and my business to be more about what YOU want and less about what just happens to strike my fancy when I sit down to write my posts. In order to better analyze what you like, I decided to take a look at the best performing posts from 2012 and use them to direct my future efforts.

And wow, I am shocked at how much time it has taken me to figure out what my top ten posts of last year were. First I had to decide on an accurate measure. Should I use traffic, views, tweets, or Facebook shares? After much research and analysis, I’ve decided to base my most popular posts on Facebook shares, since that’s how most of you let me know you’ve enjoyed my post. And so, without further ado, here are the top ten most popular posts of 2012! Oh, and I’ll share them in reverse order for a bit of dramatic flair 😉 read more

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Winter Fun: Bean Bin!

IMG_5298Our Simple Inexpensive Bean Bin

1) Shallow plastic bin with lid

2) Lots of dried beans

3) Cups, pitchers, scoops, and bowls

4) Set it up on a chair

5) Put it away and take it out when you need some uninterrupted time in the kitchen.

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The Top Ten Things I’ve Learned About Getting Organized

I used to resist organizing. I’d put it off until my drawers were overflowing and my closets bulged. But at some point, often at the worst possible moment, I’d be forced to handle the clutter that had built up beyond recognition.

I’ve turned a corner in this regard. I actually enjoy organizing and re-organizing now! And having a few days “off work” seemed like a great opportunity to re-organize some areas of my home that had been neglected of late.

So, the pantry got an overhaul last weekend and so did a strangely shaped cabinet in my kitchen. Now both are more usable, more pleasing to look at, I know what I have and I’ve gotten rid of the stuff I was keeping but no longer needed. It’s amazing how much space can be taken up by things that we rarely use, but that we still think we need to keep around. For me, a huge part of organizing is letting go of the things I think I need, but don’t actually use. read more

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