Wish I'd Known: Set An Alarm

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Over the past few months I've figured out a trick that seems to help with parenting a 2 1/2 year old.

Set An Alarm

Like in the morning?  No don't do that!  Sleep as long as you possibly can!  You'll need every ounce of energy to get through the day.  What I mean is I use an alarm as a way to get my daughter to stop asking for things constantly.  If you know my daughter, you know she LOVES to eat and would pretty much eat all day long if I let her.  So rather than having her yank on my pants and beg INCESSANTLY, I tell her she can have a snack when the alarm goes off.  

I use the alarm trick with many other things as well like clean-up time, bed time, when we get to go outside, etc.  It really works.  My daughter will ask to do something and then will say "Set an alarm."  Then she won't ask again.  Or if she does, I just remind her that we have to wait for the alarm to go off.  It kind of turns it into a game.  Maybe it won't work for your kids, but it's been amazing for us!

Jalapeno Pepper Burn

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The other day I learned a very important lesson:

Wear gloves while cutting jalapeno peppers

As it turns out, jalapeno peppers can burn your skin and it hurts really really bad.  I had never experienced anything like this before and I've cut several jalapenos in my days.  About 30 minutes after cutting the jalapeno, my hand started burning a bit.  Within minutes, my hand felt like it was on fire.  It got all red and swollen.  I dipped it in a bowl of cold water while I ate dinner.  The water helped, but once it wasn't cold anymore, my hand started burning again.

I decided to do some research and ask around to see if there were any remedies.  I got quite a big list.  None of them were a permanent fix, but some did provide a bit of relief.  I thought I'd review the different remedies for you :)

Cold milk: This did stop the burning while it was cold, but once the milk was warm, my hand burned again.  Apparently pepper burns aren't water soluble which is why people recommend milk/dairy.

Baking soda and water: Didn't really seem to work for me.

Tooth paste: This helped take away a bit of the burning, but didn't soothe it as much as the cold things.  It was a bit longer lasting as far as keeping away the intense burning/pain.

Lemon Juice: I didn't have any at the time so I don't know if it helps or not.

Dip in milk then flour: Surprisingly this worked very well for about 5 minutes and then it was back to burning like crazy.

Sour cream: The sour cream worked super well for about 1 minute and then once it turned warm my hand burned again.  If only it stayed cold the whole time I think it would have been one of the best.

As you can see, I tried a lot of remedies and nothing seemed to really be helping at least not for a long period of time.  It was time for bed so I just kept filling up a bowl with cold water next to my bed to put my hand in until I could get to sleep.  I chose to do water even though I knew the burn wasn't water soluble because I found that cold water and cold milk had the same results (they worked while cold and not while warm), I didn't want to waste anymore milk and I didn't want to risk spilling milk all over my room while trying to sleep with my hand in the bowl.  The good news is, I woke up in the morning and the burning was gone!  So a great remedy is sleep haha.

I did get a few other suggestions later, but I was already asleep.  So I'll tell you in case you want to try them out too.  

Lime Juice

Rubbing Alcohol or hand sanitizer

My husband thought that maybe I was just being a wimp, but I tried describing to him that it actually hurts worse than any other burn I've received mainly because when not treating it, the heat/pain continued to increase with no end in sight.  It was so strange.  I had no idea a jalapeno could do this to you.  I knew that you shouldn't touch your eye after cutting peppers, but now I know why people wear gloves.  From now on, I'll be wearing gloves too!

Wish I'd Known: Diaper Raffle

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I wish I had thought of this great tip from Callie for my baby shower:

Do a diaper raffle at your baby shower

She got so many diapers at her baby girl's shower that still after 3 months she hasn't had to buy diapers and she thinks she won't have to for another 2-3 months.

If you're wondering what a diaper raffle is, for each pack of diapers a guest brings to your shower, they get a ticket put into a raffle for a prize.  It's a great way to get stocked up on those diapers!

Wish I'd Known: Clean Enough....

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Lately my house has become a total disaster.  I've been really busy with photography.  So much so that I often don't feel like I have a minute to do anything BUT take pictures/edit.  I came upon a quote that I really want to take to heart:

"Have your house clean enough to be healthy, messy enough to be happy.  Clean enough to be sanitary, messy enough to be sane."  

Honestly I have felt completely overwhelmed with everything I need to get done.  I feel like I'm failing a bit as a mother/wife because my house isn't clean.  Well my new standard isn't going to be that my house must be 100% spotless all the time, because let's be honest....that just doesn't happen with kids.  At least it doesn't happen for me.  So rather than constantly feeling like I'm failing, I'm going to work a little harder on making my house clean enough to be healthy, but messy enough for me to still be happy.

Wish I'd Known: Potty Training and Regression

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When I was potty training my daughter, my mom warned me that:

Often times your child will regress after being potty trained

And what do you know....my mom was right :) When my daughter started having accidents again I had to come up with a new plan of attack.  That's when I introduced drawing faces.  Each time she'd go the the bathroom in the toilet, she got to draw a face on a piece of paper that I had hung up on the fridge.  When my husband got home, she'd get to show him her beautiful artwork.  This little change of reward seemed to do the trick.

I currently have a friend dealing with this situation with her daughter.  What are some tips you'd have for her?

Wish I'd Known: Remember What's Important

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Todays tip is from Nikki:

Remember what's important

Is it memories and laughter and fun adventures or a spotless house?  I'm learning you can't have both - at least not at this stage of life. :)

Nikki, thanks for this reminder.  It really is so easy to get caught up in all the stuff you need to get done and miss out on those simple moments with your children.  Lately I've been really busy with photography and have been editing a lot.  Recently in the morning after I get my daughter her cereal, she's been asking for me to sit by her at the table rather than getting on the computer.  It made me realize just how much she wants to be with me.  Kids really do just want the love and attention of their parents.  They don't have to have huge elaborate activities, but simply some one on one time.  My dirty house can wait for a little bit while I enjoy my children :)

Wish I'd Known: Nursing

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Today's top comes from Whitney at sewmuch2create.blogspot.com

Give breastfeeding at least SIX weeks!

It is really hard and easy to give up!  But it is REALLY worth it for your baby!

Thanks so much Whitney.  This is a great post for new moms or soon to be moms.  My experience with nursing definitely wasn't what I was expecting.  My daughter came 3 weeks early and had a bit of a difficulty with latching on.  I thought she would just latch on right away and we'd be set.  I knew nursing would be a bit painful at first because I had heard people talk about it, but I wasn't expecting the emotional roller coaster ride I went through.  I had to give my daughter her feeds using a syringe and tube that was placed into a nipple guard so she would still getting the sensation of nursing this was called S&S.  I worked with a lactation specialist at the hospital who gave me the nipple guard to use.  However, my daughter would suck once or twice and then fall asleep, so we stuck with the S&S so it would be easier for her.  The plan was to stop doing S&S soon and then just use the nipple guard and then get rid of the guard and just nurse.  The nurse had also told me that I could use the nipple guard for a short time, but really needed to get off of it soon (like a couple of weeks) or my milk supply would be hurt.

After a few days, my daughter started latching on to the nipple guard, but still not on to me.  This made me happy since I didn't have to do the S&S anymore, but also frustrated since I knew I was supposed to get rid of the nipple guard as soon as possible.  I worked with the lactation specialist at my daughter's doctors office and after an hour of trying, she had only latched once without the guard and it lasted about 3-5 seconds.  

I went home disappointed, but continued to try the new techniques.  I met with the lactation specialist again when she was 2 weeks old.  Still we only got her to latch on a couple of times, but she just didn't stick with it.  By this point I was frustrated and honestly felt like I wasn't a good mother because I wasn't able to nurse my baby normally.  

I was so ready for her to start nursing without the guard, because she was actually sucking my nipple through the holes at the end of the nipple guard and it HURT!  The day after I met with the lactation specialist I had a bit of a break down.  I cried and cried out of frustration, exhaustion and probably because my hormones were crazy.  I went and tried nursing again and guess what.....she got it!  It took 2 weeks and a day, but she did it!  

I was so close to wanting to throw in the towel and am so glad I didn't.  I continued to nurse my daughter for 13 months.  It was definitely cheaper than doing the whole formula thing, but it was also so great for her.  She never had an ear infection and maybe got one cold the whole time I was nursing.  I know nursing isn't for everyone, but if you're debating between the two, I would definitely suggest nursing.  

What I learned through this whole experience is that sometimes nursing doesn't come as easily as you expect, but it's so worth it to stick it out.  I've known plenty of people who have also had challenges with nursing so don't think that you're the only one.  It was also easier to nurse my son because I had learned a few tricks along the way.  Good luck everyone!  If you have any questions feel free to ask.  Or if you have more tips send them in!

Wish I'd Known: Extra "lovey"

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Today's tip is from Alysha:

Have an extra "lovey"

If there is a particular stuffed animal or blanket you notice your child is attached to, buy a twin!  We noticed this with my little sister-in-law who loved her 'puppy' and so they could never get it away from her to wash it, and if they left/lost it somewhere, the world stopped until they could find it!  Seeing that, we bought a twin for Wyatt's favorite toy, Dumbo, and it's great!  We switch them out to wash when one gets dirty, and if we leave/lose one, we have an extra!

What a great tip Alysha.  Thanks!!!

Wish I'd Known: Newborn Nights

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Today's tip is from Annie:

Don't rush in at night and "rescue" your newborn the second they make a noise.

I totally agree Annie.  This simple tip can make your life so much easier!  The first instinct for a new mother is when they hear the slightest sound from their beautiful baby, they think he/she needs instant attention.  However, often times your baby will wake up and move around a bit and then put themselves back to sleep, but if you don't give them the opportunity to go back to sleep on their own, they will become dependent on you for this.

Of course newborns will cry and need some help at times, but not EVERY time.  When you hear your baby whimpering or rustling around, give them a couple of minutes to see if they go back to sleep before jumping in to "save the day" :)  Trust me, it will help you get a little more much needed sleep.

Wish I'd Known: Saving Time & Money on Ground Beef

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This is my own tip for you moms.  

Cook one package of ground beef and divide it into three meals.

I personally don't love a ton of ground beef in my meals.  When a recipe calls for 1 lb, I usually only do half of that.  I don't know why, but it's just not my fave.  Which is really strange since hamburgers are pretty much my favorite food.  Anyways....a way I stretch the buck, is to cook 1 package of hamburger (usually like 1.3 pounds) and break it into 3 meals.  I will use one third for something like spaghetti, then another for taco salads and the last one for stroganoff or something like that.  It also makes the second and third meal super easy and fast.  This obviously wouldn't work for a large family, but it works for our small family.  My husband never complains that there isn't enough meat in our meals, so I don't think he even notices.

Wish I'd Known: Candy-less Potty Training

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Today's tip is about potty training.

Don't give candy as a reward for potty training - Nia

Nia, I totally 100% agree with you!  When I potty trained my daughter, I was trying to figure out what I would do as a reward.  I knew several people who gave candy, but I didn't really want my daughter eating a ton of candy.  I decided to use stickers.  I put a piece of paper on the wall that said "I Went Potty".  Then each time she went to the bathroom she got to put stickers on the paper.  She would get one sticker for pee-pee and two stickers for poo-poo.  She loved getting to pick out her stickers.

The first day couple of days of potty training consisted of several trips to the bathroom with a ton of little successes.  IfI had been giving her candy as a reward, my daughter would have been in a sugar coma!

Unfortunately, we went on a trip to Georgia and through wearing pull-ups in the car rides, her potty training regressed a bit so I had to re-potty train her.  I wasn't totally starting from scratch, but you get the idea.  I wanted to do a different reward this time, but still avoid the candy.  What I ended up doing was hanging a paper on the fridge and each time she went to the bathroom she could come and draw a smiley face.  No, they didn't really look like faces, but she LOVED it!  Then every day my husband would get back from work she could show him all of her faces.

I started thinking that the whole drawing faces thing could be used as a learning opportunity.  Instead of drawing faces, your child could trace a letter of the alphabet or draw a certain shape.  They are learning while getting their reward!

Potty training can be hard.  Let us know if you have any other tips for moms out there!

Wish I'd Known: Extras

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Today's wish I'd known tip is from Antonio, a dad of two beautiful girls.  He said dads can give advice too and he's right :) His tip is to:

Have extras in your car

Don't forget to put some diapers and wipes in the car just in case you forget (or feel too manly) to pack a diaper bag.  It saves an emergency trip to the nearest Walmart (which has happened to me many times).  Also have an extra change of clothes in there. - Antonio

This is such a great tip!  Seriously, how many times have you forgotten your diaper bag or used all of the diapers/clothes in your bag?  Thanks Antonio for the great advise!

Wish I'd Known: Jamba Juice

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Wish I'd known that Jamba Juice will split any size smoothie with a child's cup for easy sharing - Lisa

I'm so glad Lisa shared this with me.  Any time we get Jamba Juice, my daughter basically confiscates the cup.  We pretty much have to pry the cup out of her hands to get a sip of the smoothy.

Wish I'd Known: I Hate You

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Today's tip comes from Clarissa:

Be prepared for the, "I hate you" and wait to respond until you can do so calmly......After a long time out (until we're both calm), I tell her that I love her and that it makes me very sad when she says that. She always apologizes and feels terrible about saying it. She has said it and many other terrible things to both my husband and I on numerous occasions. The best thing we've found for dealing with it is just to wait a few minutes. - Clarissa

I am so not looking forward to that stage. As much as we think that our child would never say, "I hate you", every child will. I think it's good to have a plan with how you're going to handle it before hand so you don't have to try to figure out how to discipline when emotions are high. Thanks so much for the advice Clarissa!

Wish I'd Known: Choices

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Today's tip is from Heidi:

"Give your child lots of choices."

This has helped Heidi significantly with the "terrible twos" because her daughter feels like she is in charge while making all the choices, but really Heidi is in charge since both options she gives, she's perfectly ok with.

So rather then saying "It's time to leave", you'd say, "Would you like to leave now or in 5 minutes?" Or when disciplining you'd say, "Would you like to go to time out or your room?".

Heidi got this idea from a book called Parenting with Love and Logic. I've heard really fantastic things about this book.

Wish I'd Known: Teething

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Our first "Wish I'd Known" tip is from Carlin:

"I wish I'd known to give my baby Ibuprofen while he's teething."

Her son is currently teething.  She has been giving him tylenol and it just didn't seem to be doing the trick.  She had heard from several different people to try giving him Ibuprofen.  Well she finally tried it out, and she said he's a totally different baby!

Here's a dosage chart I found at Parents.com. 
Make sure to consult a doctor if your child is under 6 months of age.

I've also heard good things about the teething tablets.  My daughter didn't get her first tooth until she was 15 months old and was a pretty good sport about it.  So I never had to deal with a really fussy teething baby.  I may end up using this tip with my son when he starts teething.

If you have a tip you'd like to share please send it to me using my contact form!