My Toddler Mom Hacks

Every mom has had that moment where just getting out of the house has made you feel like a superhero.  I wish I could be like my husband and just leave and not expect the worst by having snacks, water bottles, hidden toys, etc... but I am a worrier and planner by nature and sometimes I wish I could change that but other times, I just have to accept it and like myself :) 

These are a few of my personal mom hacks (aka Superhero triumphs!) for my toddler I have put to use on my maternity leave and wanted to share.  If you are expecting or have a newborn, tricks that worked for us on are this blog.    If you want to see some definite mom fails too, keep reading because maybe they could work for you!

1) Put Dec's shoes in my purse.   I have only forgot his shoes once and thankfully nowhere we really needed them but I was sick of putting them on before we were out of the driveway shouting so proudly, "Mama, I got my shoes off!"  Yeah, Declan, just yeah...

2) Load him in the car first with a book. I can let Croix out, pack Evan and make sure I have the "Mom's survival kit". Take him out of the car last... that one should have been common sense but it took him sprinting away from me in a parking lot to learn my lesson!

3) Let him read an I Spy/Find it book before nap.  We had a couple of days with a power battle for napping but when I said he could look at his book, it was done.  He looks for 1-15 minutes some days, but always conks out.  When he decides naps are over someday a long long time from now, at least I can try and enforce some book quiet time.

4) Visual Schedule   So this was mostly for me at first to keep a routine on leave!  I wanted to limit TV while I committed to some Time In with Declan as unpacking was going to make me want to always "work"!  Plus I had a goal of helping him learn to play better by himself.  When I am working,  I wanted to be with him every moment I wasn't.  But now... nope... he's got to give me some space and share me with Evan!!  Plus, I didn't want to neglect Croix boy and getting outside we feel and sleep better!  Even with it getting cooler, we are out most days twice!

5) Declan doing cooking/completing chores with me.  Yes, it slows down the process but gonna enjoy it as long as he likes and willing to wash pans, clean toilets, vacuum, wash windows, crack eggs, stir mixing bowls, he is welcome to help!

6) Toy Rotating!!!

This is probably my favorite discovery I learned about on Pinterest! Basement always has big toys but we aren't down there everyday so those are always fun, but the toy shelf in the playroom is all I fill now with 6-8 things.   When Declan gets clingy, I rotate from a closet I don't want him discovering... and it is like Christmas!  Plus, he plays longer and is more imaginative with less.  My personal selfish reason is cleanup is a breeze with less!  

7) Storytelling Fairytales/Fables:  This started as an "abuse prevention" during nursing sessions. (Dec may have hit Evan a few too many times...)  But now I love them too as it saves me in car rides from singing of Wheels/Old MacDonald/etc... you get the picture! And he asks others to tell Three Pigs, Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood and is noting differences!  Then Youtube videos save the day when I'm making lunch and he points out differences too  (Some are a little more truthful/scary than my endings so I am previewing them better now!!)

8)  On "abusive"/serious rule breaking moments... I took away warnings (because they always resulted in one more hit/bite to poor Evan to test me) and immediately carry Dec to his room and close door (child proof knob on inside!) for his time-away/reset with no words said.  (I quit using phrase timeout as he was putting us in them!) And honestly I think I did this 3 times and all abuse towards Evan has stopped.

And now onto my "Fails"!   I am missing teaching a bit so the web is my platform where I like to share what has worked for us to maybe help a mom or two out because this parenting thing is HARD.  But believe me, I "fail" everyday and work hard to get over it and not be guilty, because this parenting thing is HARD!

1)  Good Morning Timer nightlight.  We put the Time to Wake/Teach time clock on Dec's Christmas list and still want it, but tried just a nightlight on a timer for a few days.  Mistake number one was it not being high enough because Dec would play with dials and the switches and just turn it on... "Mom, good morning light is on!"  @ 500 am... guess what, we didn't set it for that!

2) Potty training:  I quit after 6 hours... neither of us was ready!  He clearly wasn't screaming in fear of toilet once the novelty wore off (because he did pee once that morning on potty when I loaded with juice and bribed with candy)  I don't think he does know when he pees, and my head cold gave me no patience.  I also told myself this leave was technically for Evan and he was fussy from his shots the day before I was feeling like a guilty failure!  Maybe we will try again in few weeks, but I don't hate diapers and he won't go to K in them!  Just making him not afraid of the toilets is enough for now.  Just because he is so verbal, doesn't mean he is ready for everything Andy and I have to remind ourselves often!  

3) Visual Schedule... well Dec is my son and likes routine and he has pointed out (aka tantrums) if we vary from the schedule a bit...Or if he wants to watch more TV or wants more music (aka YouTube) he is happy to point out it is that time when it isn't!  But really over all we have liked this!

4) I don't really consider any of these a true "fail" but before becoming a parent I swore the dog in our bed was enough and no kids would sleep with us.  Well, don't ever judge how you'll be as a parent until you are a parent!  But Dec is now waking up scared/wanting us and our bed almost every night.  Sometimes we get him to stay in his bed and fall back to sleep, but others we bring him to ours.  I don't mind it always, but I sleep so crappy and Andy's alarm going off gets him up 3 almost an hour before he usually would, so advice is welcomed! But PTL Evan is sleeping thru the night most nights... sometimes I visit him at 430 (which also stirs/wakes Dec if he is in our bed!!)  And thankfully Declan goes down for the night and naps willingly in his bed so maybe just dreams but if something has worked for you, advice please!

If you have any mom hacks that make you feel like the superhero you are too, comment away!