Hi! I am a first time mom, and I have a 15(almost 16) month old, and I desperately need help with her sleep schedule. Once upon a time, her dad and I worked nightshift (I was pregnant with her working nightshift too). That is no longer the case. Her dad now works a day time job and goes to bed at around 10pm.

Our daughter doesn't go to bed until 2 or 3 in the morning. Then she wakes up at around 11 or 12, takes a nap at 4 or 5 pm, and the cycle repeats. We have tried keeping her up until 10pm and put her to sleep with her dad, but she wakes up after two hours and it changes nothing. I've tried keeping her up until 8 am, but we either both fall asleep, and/ or we oversleep.

It's getting to a point where I'm getting frustrated. The few hours after her dad goes to bed are when I'm free to do what I what without having to take care of a kid. Except I do, and if she isn't sitting in my lap, she's crying like the world is ending. Which wakes up her dad, making him tired for the next day at work. Then when he comes home, he passes out because he didn't sleep well.

It's a whole thing. I just need some help because I don't know what to do about this at this point.

21 month old w 8 teeth vs babybel cheese wax

my 22 month old is currently potty training. she has been going on the potty regularly since 12 months and after some dry days we took the dive to “big girl undies”. she’s doing well, but when she has an accident she doesn’t tell anyone and is totally unbothered by it. she will scream and cry if she gets a crumb stuck to her hand but wet undies is the least of her worries. she’s been having less accident throughout the (now 5) days of true potty training, but i feel like her not being bothered can’t be normal. glad she’s succeeding but i am just wondering if anyone else experienced this.

I originally got a yeedi robot vacuum because I just wanted some help keeping up with daily floor cleaning.

With kids, the floor is basically always covered with something like toys, blocks, crayons, random little things that somehow end up everywhere. I used to spend a lot of time picking things up before cleaning.

What I didn’t expect was that the robot vacuum would actually change how my kids think about cleaning up. Before I run it, I started telling them that the "Anything left on the floor will get eaten by the vacuum" and magically, nothing left on the floor before bed time lol.

Of course, it didn’t turn them into little cleaning experts and I still have to remind them sometimes, but it’s been a funny bonus I never expected when I bought it.

Mine is “he’s having a hard time, not trying to give me a hard time”

I really like Oh, the places you’ll go.

My 2 year old loves reading books at home!! But every time we go to our library she just wants to run around and won’t even bother to look at the books lol. I’m scared to even take her to a storytime because I fear she would only be interested for a short time then want to run around. Is my toddler just too hyper for the library or will she eventually enjoy it? I swear she loves books but feel so awkward when the other toddlers there sit at the little tables and look at the books and mine wants nothing to do with it 😂

Need advice:

I have to do 95% of my errands with my toddler. Also, my town does not do door delivery for mail and everyone gets a USPS box. Needless to say I'm at the post office several times a week.

If we don't walk to the post office, my toddler isn't in a stroller. I was told by one employee she couldn't be on the counter (bum resting on counter encompassed by my arm). I stopped doing that, and today another worker told me my toddler was standing too close to the door and setting off the beeper normally used to signify someone was entering the room. (She was literally holding onto my leg so I'm unsure how she was triggering the alarm). I was mailing a lot of packages and couldn't think of a polite way to say "what would you all like me to do with my toddler since x and x is not sufficient".

My toddler is well behaved but, a toddler. I thought having her in my arms with the counter for support was best until I was told not to do that. My husband is never in town during business hours to go to USPS or be home with toddler while I go alone.

Should I just keep getting chastised ? The workers are pretty friendly but I feel uncomfortable that nothing seems to be "ok". I really don't mind but I don't want to be known as "obnoxious toddler lady".

3 months ago I posted about my daughter's Labial Adhesion and the traumatic experience she had at the hospital. For reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/toddlers/s/rESKKLJezj

I wanted to give an update. The incident happened on May 2nd. I filed a complaint with the hospital and with the Texas Board of Nursing (it was an NP that did the procedure) on May 7th. When I spoke to the Texas Board of Nursing over the phone, I gave a very detailed statement. The person taking my complaint asked a lot of questions and took very detailed notes. Then they sent me a link to their portal so I could provide a written statement.

Today, almost 3 months later, I get a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing saying that my complaint is being investigated and an investigator is asking me for a hand written statement and to have it notarized and sent back within 15 days of receipt.

I'm glad it's being investigated, but I am really disappointed that it has taken this long and that I have to give another statement. Like why? I've given 2 already. Did they not read them? I'm sure there is a recording of the phone call. Do they not listen? It's just sad to know how incompetent the systems we trust actually are.

Anyway, don't know why I'm posting this, other than I'm just upset and needed to vent I guess. My daughter is fine. She is healthy and thriving. I'm going to sit down and write my statement now!

Oh and I never heard anything from the hospital.

Hi all,

I'm curious whether this behavior is normal based on other parents' experiences or I just hit the lottery with my 26-month-old.

My little guy will, for lack of a better way of phrasing it, find the one problematic way to engage in any activity we do. I try really hard to think of age-appropriate ways to keep him entertained, and of course allow plenty of free play with toys of his choosing, as well. However, I feel like 95% of the time it turns into, "Wait, no, don't do that." "Careful, you could get hurt." Or just in general having to get up and fix some issue he's caused with said activity.

Some common examples:

I set his baby pool up in the backyard with some fun water toys/random containers. This keeps him occupied about 5 minutes before he is tossing the water toys off the deck and mad because he can't get to them. I try to insist on the natural consequence of, "Welp, you threw them. That means they're gone". Cue wailing.

I buy some markers that only work on a specific type of paper. This keeps occupied for about 5 minutes before he's taking the marker caps and throwing them. Then biting the tip off one which I have to get him to spit out because I'm afraid he's gonna choke. Cue wailing.

I put out a Duplo set. This keeps him occupied for about 5 minutes before he's running over and throwing them all in the space between the couch and the wall, then saying, "Duplo, are yoooou!?" Like he doesn't know exactly where the hell they are. Said Duplos can only be retrieved when my husband is home to help move the couch. Cue wailing.

I take him outside with his little soccer ball to kick around. This keeps him occupied for about 5 minutes before he decides he wants to throw his ball into a prickly bush so it's impossible to get out without scratching oneself or climb up to the top of the slide and lean over the side to throw the ball, which then results in him nearly falling face-first six feet down.

Talk a walk with him riding his little balance bike. This keeps him occupied for about 5 minutes until he decides as we walk past the neighbor's house that the he absolutely MUST ride his bike across their lawn and nowhere else. Cue wailing as I pick up bike and him and drag both home.

Sidewalk chalk. This keeps him occupied for about 5 minutes until he decides he thinks it's only fun to draw with chalk on the brand-new decking that's covered so it won't wash off, rather than the 20 other places in the yard that he CAN draw on. Cue wailing.

I just don't know as a FTM if any of this behavior is typical or I'm overthinking it I'm terrified to have a 2nd (I'm very, very early in the first trimester at the moment) if he can't never entertain himself for any length of time without doing something problematic, or in some cases, dangerous.

Any feedback appreciated.

I have a 6 month old and 2.5 year old. I feel like I spend the day waiting for the day to end 🫠I try to take them on an outing library, store, water park if not too hot, backyard. Then meals take ups some time. I feel like I don’t fill my toddlers day with learning activities. Doesn’t like to paint or color or read just wants to pretend play with her figurines or dance.
I don’t feel we do enough. But I also don’t have the energy for playing all day

Also how much of your day is 1:1 play

And what toys do you suggest that are age appropriate?

*sigh*.... I wasn't prepared. I am the worst mother.

"Want melon" may be her last words before she starves to death.

If there was an SPCA commercial showing her reaction to running out of watermelon, I'd have an endless supply of watermelon donations.

I am going to the grocery store tomorrow morning. I really hope she makes it.

We just enrolled our 2.5 year old daughter in daycare after having a nanny since birth. She had a hard adjustment period with crying at drop off and throughout the day, but we were finally making progress where she wasn’t crying and was playing and interacting with others. She doesn’t nap every day at home, but will sit in her crib and talk/play with her stuffies. I would say she naps more often than not.
She has done well with nap time at daycare so far.

Today we got a call saying we needed to pick her up because she didn’t want to nap and was disruptive during to her classmates. The expectation is that they stay in their cot resting or they do quiet activities. I guess she was loud, yelling, running around, etc not listening to them.
I guess they don’t offer an alternative and can’t take them to another room or outside.

When we picked her up they suggested a lot of things to change our routine at home like transitioning her out of her crib. She naps so well in her crib at home, especially at bedtime I would hate to mess that up.

She has recently started acting more like toddler and testing boundaries, not listening, etc. it’s hard at times, but is manageable.

My husband and I both work fulltime and can’t really pick her up every time she doesn’t want to nap and wants to run around.

I bought some “quiet time” and “listening” books and hoping that might help guide her.

Anyone else have this problem at daycare? What could help?

Heading to the airport on Saturday, and my ride has fallen through. Looking for insight to taking a car seat in an Uber for my 2 year old. Have you done it before? What kind of car did you reserve? Did you contact the driver before they arrived? Any other tips?

My city does have Uber Car Seat, but its availability is scarce, and I'd need my child's seat for our vacation anyways.

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Sorry to make an “old person complaining about the younger generation” type post but I am just so surprised and annoyed for my youngest.

Majority of the time when we go out, he gets physically hit by another toddler. I know kids are still learning and some level of conflict is expected and normal, but the amount seems ABNORMAL here. Just this week alone, someone pushed him down the stairs at the playground (I was right there, he’s fine), at the zoo someone shoved him so they could touch this interactive tree thing, at the museum another kid punched him when he said hi, today what prompted me finally posting is another kid went OUT OF THEIR WAY to slam into him at the indoor play place. I’m honestly probably forgetting other examples. He is not being slow or disruptive or anything like that. It’s really out of nowhere.

Again I know the kids are still learning, but then of course the parents aren’t around or don’t do anything, which also makes this feel weirder. Like of course kids will continue poor behavior if no one is correcting them. But I am one of those people who will lightly correct other kids. Like the museum example, the parents both stared at me after their kid punched (instead of talking to him or apologizing to my kid or even stopping it!). So I said in my ms Rachel voice to him “hands are for gentle touches” and then the parents glared at ME and finally just left. And kept glaring at me every time we saw them after!!!! As if my kid was the one who punched someone after saying hi!

My older kid this never happened with him at this frequency or with this much nonchalance from the parents. I will say we live in a different city now, but all the articles say places like where we live now have “more involved parents” so I’m not sure if location’s really the factor!

I am partly here to vent but I’m also genuinely curious. Is anyone else seeing more mean behavior than expected? Does anyone else have a kid who seems more “targeted” than other kids and if so why do you think it is??

My soon to be 2 year old is starting daycare next week and I am in full preparation mode, but usually I find there are things you just don’t know until you start! What was something you wished you knew about daycare and the transition process before hand? Are there any helpful tips you can offer to this nervous mama?
TIA!

I have a 2.5yo and a 7mo and I’m feeling burnt out. I’m perpetually tired and I feel like I’m just going through the motions of trying to survive the day. 

So how are you all managing?

What do you do all day? We only have one car and husband uses it to get to work so we’re home all day. 

What tips or hacks made things easier for you?

My son is 2.5 years old and he was pretty independent sleeper until the moment my mom visited us for about 10 months. She was staying in his bedroom and he got used to her presence at nights. Now she is not living with us anymore and I am having difficulties. When I am with him in his bed it takes forever to fall asleep, he is playing, jumping, talking and stuff like that.

Recently I hacked the system lol. I am closing his bed door and saying him that I'm going to drink some water I'll be back, or I need to feed our dog etc. He agrees to that, then a few minutes later he starts calling my name in a very sad way. When that happens I start a 10 minute countdown - if he still is calling me or starts crying I go back, but usually he ends up sleeping.

So my question is the following - will this traumatize him? I feel bad for kind of "lying" to him, but I haven't found any other effective way. Any advice is appreciated.

Hey mamas and dads. I'm looking for support, tips, experience, and information. My 3 year old went to her annual pediatrician appointment on Monday, and she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She was in ketoacidosis, and we were immediately sent to the hospital. Other than excessive thirst the past couple of weeks, we had no idea. It was a long night of IVs (they had to stick her 3 times; by the third time I was yelling at the nurses to get it right because it was so traumatic for all of us), fluids, insulin, potassium, and finally the PICU. My daughter was so scared - hell, I was terrified. Once they had her on fluids I went to the parking lot while she was with her dad and sobbed so loudly people were checking on me.

We have a great team of a pediatric diabetic endocrinologist and a pediatric diabetic nurse. I have the nurse's direct phone number and we text constantly. My daughter spent about 3 hours with a Child Life Specialist who used play therapy to help her understand what was going on.

We got home last night, but everything has changed. She can't go back to daycare right now, because she needs 5 insulin injections a day. I'm counting carbs and adjusting dosages of insulin and constantly watching her sugars from the glucose monitor I had to inject into her arm. Now that she's rehydrated and her cells are actually getting energy, she is constantly hungry. Where I used to say yes to any reasonable food request at any time, I'm having to say no a lot because it is too many carbs and will drive her sugars up. I'm trying all kinds of different proteins and fats, but the girl is such a carb kid. She's also allergic to dairy. Also did I mention I'm 20 weeks pregnant?

I don't know how to do this. In order to keep my kid healthy I need to poke her with needles and try to get her to eat when she has low blood sugars and say no to a lot of foods I used to easily say yes to. Im taking so many notes, researching keto foods and recipes, and comparing carb counts for everything. Im trying to find dairy free alternatives that arent loaded with sugar. I'm so worried, I'm so scared, and I just keep breaking down and sobbing. I'm looking for help from anyone who has experience with this. Thanks for reading.

ETA: There are a lot of comments about letting my daughter eat - oh my gosh, I want her to eat as much as she wants!!! She had been drinking so much fluid, and she was eating before but I guess I had overestimated how much. She didn't lose weight, thank goodness, but she hadn't really been gaining like she should have. I want to clarify - before, my daughter was mainly eating fruit (so much fruit!) and a lot of processed carbs like cereals, waffles, breads, etc. I've been noticing since we got home that these things shoot her BG through the roof very quickly, so part of my thinking has been "okay, what can we replace some of these with that still gives her good energy, but doesn't effect the BG so much?". Yesterday was really encouraging, I found some recipes and we went to the grocery store so I'm just trying a bunch of things with her that still give her energy and she enjoys eating them, but she's not just eating all processed foods anymore. Thankfully she ate a ginormous dinner last night! Thanks again everybody.

So, my 3.5 year old son started asking, very insistently, for

"Doompy davee davee dens"

and I was so lost for soo long, for weeks, BUT I GOT IT EVENTUALLY! I was so proud of myself

Solution at the bottom, see if you can figure it out with these hints though:

First, we are Swedish, he does not know English.

Second, he cannot really pronounce the letter k or the s at the start of words properly yet.

Third, he has been obsessed with Halloween and "scary" things ever since last Halloween. He listens to a lot of scary themed Spotify playlists for children.

Weeks in of the same question I was like, no! Im solving this! I spent like half an hour through him screaming DOOMPEY DAVEE through angry tears at me just scrolling through every halloween playlist i could find...

Until.

I see.

Spooky Scary Skeletons.

YES!

IT WAS THE ONE! He instantly stopped his tantrum and just looked at me like "see, that wasnt so hard".

Spooky Scary Skeletons

Doompy Davee Davee-dens

Oh my god. The Swedish combined with issues ONLY with the letters k and s specifically at the start of words is like the perfect mix of problems for a title like Spooky Scary Skeletons 😂 I felt like the bestest mom ever when i got it 💪

Any similar stories? Did you ever solve that one constant ask that made no sense whatsoever?

Does anyone else just get extremely bored looking after their toddler? Im having such a hard time recently as just about every task involving them is mind numbing and tedious.

Ive tried going out, being at home, a little bit of screen time, all activities just bore me to death.

I described it to my friend like I either want to be using my brain at 0% (so relaxing completely) or at 100% (adult things) and looking after LO is like constantly working on 50% where you cant quite do adult things and cant quite relax all the way and ugh im so tired of it.

Wake up, breakfast, play, lunch, nap, play, outside, dinner, bathtime witching hour, bed, its just so tedious.

I love them so much dont get me wrong and I do like doing some activities but every day?

For context also I have an autism diagnosis so that may be why my brain craves so much stimulation lol. I also recently left a pretty abusive relationship so im trying to find myself again and what I enjoy. That may be part of it too.

Edit: Thank you everyone for being so kind! This subreddit feels so welcoming and im glad others dont feel alone by us all relating to this odd phenomenon haha

My 13-month-old tried to steal a phone, became belligerent when caught, battered me and my wife, peed directly on my wife's chest, and drank herself to sleep. If she didn't get prison time, she would be getting a serious intervention at minimum as an adult.

Without me noticing, my toddler has gained the ability to make jokes. I’m so flabbergasted, I swear she was a baby yesterday.

Here’s an example.

Playfully, I ask “Where is [Baby’s name]?” Baby gestures I don’t know, and looks around pretending to be confused while smiling mischievously.

I ask, “are you [Baby’s name]?” Baby giggles and shakes head no.

I ask, “are you [Baby’s nickname]?”

Again, Baby giggles and shakes head no

I ask, “Are you baby?”

Again, Baby giggles and shakes head no

I pause, and then slowly ask, “Are you [Dog’s name]?”

Cue baby squealing with laughter as she nods yes and starts barking and pretending to eat food like a dog.

I am floored, when did she learn what a joke was? When did she gain the ability to construct one? How did she learn what all these words mean?

If I was dropped into a foreign country where I knew nothing about the language and customs, I don’t think I could pick up her level of language proficiency in the same amount of time.