Need Suggestions on Potty Training in a Small Daycare

I am extremely blessed to work in a small company that opened a daycare for its employees.  We have run into a few hurdles along the way:  dealing with different nap schedules, different discipline techniques, and negligence, to name a few.  Currently, there are two toddlers and one infant in the daycare and the issue we’re baffled by at the moment is that of potty training.

Here’s the situation: The daycare has two rooms, one playroom and one sleep room with a small closet, which are connected.  There is one provider with the children at all times.  The bathroom is down the hallway, making it difficult to take all three children if the older toddler, who is potty training, has to go to the bathroom.  Right now, we have a potty chair in the closet (in the sleep room) which is fine except for when either of the other children are sleeping.  We don’t want to put the potty chair into the sleep room for sanitary reasons.  We thought about putting the potty chair into the hallway, but since it’s an office, men are often walking the hallways and we don’t want out little ones half naked around them.

What to do?!: We really need some advice!  Is there anything that has worked for you?  We can put the two kids in their pack-and-plays while the older one goes potty with the daycare provider, however, if the potty process takes a long time (right now it takes @15-20 minutes) this is not a viable option – we don’t want the provider to leave any of the children unattended for that long.  Help!

Toddler Sleep Issues – Need Help!

A friend of mine is stumped (and stressed!).  She went through a divorce about a year ago and now she has twin, 4 1/2 year old girls who will not sleep in their own beds.  Every night, they come into her room and want to sleep in her bed – with or without her!  She has tried taking them back into their room and reassuring them that they’ll be ok but this has not worked.

Any suggestions?

I am going completely crazy right now as the Twinkies have decided to re-institute past sleeping issues?! They are 4.5 yr old twins, and just don’t want to sleep in their room! Usually, one is worse than the other (or if it’s not one, it’s the other – hopefully that made sense). When they were sick the past few times (uhhh… MONTHS!) I did let them sleep with me and now they only want to sleep in my bed. I don’t even have to be in it! Although, it always starts with them asking me to stay in their room or wanting to sleep with me. And how do you explain WHY they can’t sleep with me? They will go to bed and fall asleep in their room, but it’s just a matter of time before I hear the pitter pat of their tiny little feet and my door swings open. Last night, Lily literally came in every 5 mins, starting at 10:30PM (Bedtime is always 7:30-8PM) until 2:30AM, when I finally put her in my bed and went to sleep in the guest bedroom – never a peep after that. Of course Ava woke up and
realized Lily was in my room and then she needed to get in bed with her. And sometimes the tantrums when I refuse are so bad that I fear my neighbors are going to call the cops as they scream “MOMMIE” for an hour (obviously, we have VERY thin walls here!). My room is DARK, I need to keep a light on in the hallway/door open for their room??? I cannot believe it because I have always been against allowing kids in the bed and I don’t know if I have just unraveled all these years of good practices or if something else is going on with them. The screaming, crying, begging just breaks my heart and I usually end up crying as well. I don’t yell, I just very calmly try to walk them back to their beds, assure them how much I love them and that I am right across the hall. Times are very stressful right now as I am unemployed single mom but I try NOT to show any fear or anxious emotion around them. Their dad has been gone for almost two years so I don’t think it has anything to do with that?
Plus, he and I have an awesome relationship and co-parent very effectively. Comments????

Tasty & Easy Recipe for the Busy Parent

Pot Roast

I was never much of a cook until I had a child and she began eating “table food”. Since this milestone, I have managed to cook dinner every night of the work week. Quite the feat for me, especially considering I work and had never cooked a dish more complicated than perogies prior to having a child. Since time these days is sparse and extremely valuable, I’ve had to find ways to create easy but healthy dinners (which I thought I’d share with you!).

I always make extra for lunch the next day which has also helped us to save money during these tough times.

Enjoy!

Tasty & Easy: Slow Cooker Pot Roast

- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix **
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 5 1/2 pounds pot roast

**If you do not have a package of dry onion soup mix, you can make your own! mix 4 tsp Instant beef bouillon granules, 8 tsp Dried minced onion (or you can use chopped onion), 1 tsp Onion powder

1. In a bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Product Recalls

1. State Farm(r) Recalls Good Neigh Bears(r) Due to Choking Hazard

2. Nordstrom Recalls Girl’s Shoes Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Product Recalls 3/12/09

1. NEWS from CPSC and HC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission www.cpsc.gov
Health Canada www.hc-sc.gc.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2009
Release # 09-146

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 808-3111
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983

Infantino Recalls Infant Toys Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Infant Toys

Units: About 172,000 in the United States, and 12,000 in Canada

Distributor: Infantino LLC, of San Diego, Calif.

Hazard: The infant toys have blue metallic fabric that can detach from the toy, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 45 reports of the metallic fabric detaching from the toys. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled infant toys and their model numbers are listed below.

Name of Toy / Model Number
Infantino Lil’ Chef Set / 158-201 and 558-201
Infantino Activity Stacker / 158-202
Infantino Tag Along Chime Trio / 150-3092

The model number is located on a yellow tag on the toy.

Sold at: Babies “R” Us, Target, Wal-Mart, Meijer and other specialty stores from June 2007 through February 2009 for between $10 and $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from young children and contact Infantino for a free replacement toy or product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Infantino toll-free at (888) 808-3111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.infantino.com

Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://209.217.71.106/PR/recall-retrait-e.jsp?re_id=689

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09146.html

*********************************************************

2. News from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2009
Release # 09-148

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (877) 755-4882
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Ice Skates Recalled by Pronto Sports Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: DBX Glide Boys Ice Skates

Units: About 600 pairs

Distributor: Pronto Sports Inc., of Anoka, Minn.

Hazard: Surface paint on the ice skates contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled youth adjustable boys ice skates are black with lime green and silver accents. “Glide” is printed on a rubber tag on the side of the skates. “DBX” and the DBX logo are located on the ice skate’s ankle powerstrap, tongue, and heel.

Sold at: Dick’s Sporting Goods nationwide from September 2008 through December 2008 for between $30 and $60.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled ice skates away from children and contact Pronto Sports for a full refund.

Contact: For additional information, contact Pronto Sports toll-free at (877) 755-4882 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.prontosports.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09148.html

Yummy Corn Chowder – Lenten Friendly

I am always looking for good recipes during Lent and this is one of our family favorite. Super easy and very tasty! Even our 1 1/2 year old loves it. I usually double or triple the recipe so that we have extra to freeze.

Enjoy!

Corn Chowder

Real Simple MagazineCorn Chowder, Lenten friendly

This recipe serves 4-6
Hands-On Time 25m
Total Time 45m
Ingredients
* 2 TBS good olive oil
* 1 large sweet onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 10-ounce packages frozen corn
* 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
* 1 cup half-and-half
* kosher salt and pepper
* 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions

* Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth, and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
* Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Make sure to add a little at a time or else you’ll blow the top off of the blender. Return to the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine.
* Divide the soup among individual bowls and top with the scallions.

Best Toys Ever (at least for an 18 month old)

Little People Noah’s Ark

I’ve noticed that my most popular posts, as of today, have to do with age appropriate toys I have recommended. Since I haven’t done this in a while, I thought I’d suggest a few play items that have kept my 18 month old daughter well entertained.

• Little People – My daughter will play with the Little People characters for hours.  She lines them up takes them all over the house.  She even placed “Noah” from “Noah’s Ark” in my suitcase as a memento while I was away on business.  Although there are all different varieties, she has gotten the most mileage from “Noah’s Ark” and “Santa”.  However, if you do not want to spend the money on the entire kit, you can buy small sets with just the animals which are really fun and great for “on-the-go” play.
• Board Books - specifically ones with pictures (photos and drawings) of animals.
• Baby dolls with removable clothes (or you can use your child’s small clothes).  Use your child’s old bottles and silverware (spoons, bowls, etc.) and let your child “feed” the baby.
• We set up a little table with two chairs, one for Madeline and one for her dolls/bears and they have snack time together.  You’d think she’d died and gone to heaven!  She thinks it so cool to be a “big girl” and eat at a table without a bib or high chair.  However, we only give her dried foods…
• Small stroller with a basket underneath for storing items (ie. sippy cup, toys)

  Doll Stroller

  or shopping cart

Giving up “Jon & Kate plus 8″

I am very sad to say that I have watched my last episode of “Jon & Kate plus 8″. I miss the old times, when they were a normal couple trying to figure out how to raise eight, adorable kids. I miss the times when they painted their own rooms and hung their own shelves. I miss being able to relate to them as parents and as a young couple trying to find a balance between work, family, and each other. Last night, I watched two recent episodes – the one where they get the puppies and the one where they get their new appliances (Whirlpool washer and dryers for her…hmmm, wonder if she paid for them…doubtful!). All of the shameless product placement and obvious free goods got me really steamed. It’s turned into the “Kate show” where you do get to see all of the free stuff she’s getting but you barely see the kids and Jon hardly talks during the interviews. Anyway, now that they’ve moved into their big, huge house and get all sorts of freebies, I’ve found that I don’t really find the show all that interesting. It was much more interesting when they had to deal with issues to which the average, American family could relate.

God, I hope Octomom doesn’t get a show…what a train wreck.

Dan Zanes – free giveaway!

A fellow blogger mom is giving away 5 Dan Zanes CDs and so I thought I’d pass this along to everyone.

Go to her blog on Cleveland.com for more information

Nightlight Trick

Last week, I went to CT to help my friend get her 14 week old to sleep better at night (we actually got him to sleep through the night (from 10:30pm – 7:15am) on my third night there!  Go us!  It got me thinking about how important it is to establish good sleep habits early on – to help your child sleep well and fall to sleep on their own.  However, it made me start to wonder how to continuously reinforce these fundamentals once a child leaves the crib and enters a “big kid bed”.

Although we’re still a year away from this happening, a friend told me about a neat little trick that works for them.  Place a nightlight in your child’s room and attach it to a timer.  Set the timer to turn on at bedtime and turn off at the time your child is allowed to leave their room in the morning (for us it would be at 7 am – when we normally go in and get her).  When the light is off, your child knows it’s ok to go and get mommy and daddy.  Apparently, this eliminates middle of the night interruptions with your toddler jumping into bed with you.   It seems as though it would work well…but if anyone tries this, I’d be interested in hearing whether or not it does in fact work.