Managing blended families with a NEW BABY!
His, Hers, Theirs. It’s not toothpaste, shampoo, or cars we’re talking about. It’s children with one set of original parents and one or more step/second/other parents. About 40% of all married or cohabitating couples with children in the U.S. have at least one remarried partner, with at least one child. This comes to about 24 million couples.
If you’re among the many women who became a second wife and stepmother on her wedding day, you know that your marriage and family life is a little more complicated than the typical couple. (more…)
How to be a Stepmom: Four Universal Truths
Marriage is a leap of faith and commitment when just two people are involved. And no matter how high you assume the jump would be with no children, it’s an entirely different ball game with a ready-made family. Don’t anticipate “same thing-additional issues.” Oh NO. That’s not complicated enough. (more…)
Toilet Training: My baby will go #1, but he won’t do #2 in the potty!
Today’s topic was brought up by a parent whose 3 year old son just did not want to poop in the potty. She’s not alone. There were over 200,000 references to fear of pooping in the potty on Google. I guess that should give us some comfort about whether a child is troubled or simply obstinate because he or she wants to hold on to the poop. It’s a world-wide issue.
I might as well tell you up front that there is no single solution, but you can envision relief ahead. If you provide positive support for using the potty and don’t resort to meanness, screaming in frustration, or pay for poop tactics, most toddlers will shed their pull-ups, put on the underpants, and use the potty like the rest of us by the time they’re 4 years old. (more…)
Baby’s Firsts: It’s not a Competition
We all want to know how our baby is progressing and fortunately, most of us have the benefit and the burden of tons of information available in print, online, or from family and friends. Even if you are fairly confident about your baby’s progress, and the pediatrician says “your baby is fine,” doubt and uncertainty can be introduced by those closest to you who over-share or boast incessantly about “all things related to their baby.”
Without fail, something new and exciting does happen almost every week when you have an infant. (more…)
Will My Kid be Mean?
Most of us with one or more little ones under the age of two take certain things for granted. We believe in the innocence of infants. While our babies are fully capable of registering discomfort, anger, or frustration, we certainly don’t believe that our little ones are actually capable of being mean. (more…)
Travelling with Baby
If you are a mom with a new baby, you may soon be lamenting that your personal “vacation party days” are over–probably for good. Your future vacations are going to be primarily dedicated to special family time. As my oldest daughter once said to me, when I informed her that Daddy and I were going away alone for three days, “There can be no vacation without your children.” Welcome to your child’s world view. (more…)
