Toddler Buzz

It's time for a Mom Confession -- because, let's face it, we're real mothers and sometimes it doesn't work the way the parenting books say it should.

This Week's Confession:

My husband and I are going to Disney but are leaving my toddler and baby with my parents.

I have a 2 year old old and a 9 month old. We bought a family package and were going to take both of them, but now my parents are offering to babysit so we can really enjoy ourselves. At first I didn't even consider it, but we have never been on a vacation by ourselves. We didn't have a honeymoon, either.

I will feel kinda guilty going to Disney without my 2 year old. She would really enjoy it. But it will be so nice for the both of us to hang out like we've never done before. -- anonymous

Peltor Kid Noise Reducing Ear Muffs; $16.50

Nothing says Fourth of July like fireworks, but you might have to skip the show this year if your tot is still too young. Many toddlers are terrified of fireworks, or as rsgmom's son calls them, "boom and lights."

Other moms have to bring their toddlers because they are taking their older children to the show, or they live so close to the event that their toddlers will hear the action from inside the house. That's our deal. I just tell my daughter that it's thunder, put on her fan to drown out the booms, and that seems to do the trick.

Other Toddler Moms get through the ordeal in other ways.

A number of them say they use noise-reducing headphones like the ones above.

"My son likes wearing them anyway, and they cut out the noise," says dreaksgirl. "Without the noise, he actually liked looking at the fireworks."

Swine flu party, anyone? R.S.V.P here.

I've heard of chicken pox parties, but my husband just told me that some people are having swine flu parties.

My son is a big ham-and-cheese-sandwich kind of guy, so I appreciated finding this new twist on an old favorite in the Recipes Kids Love group.

This one makes for a fast and easy lunch or a light dinner for those nights when you don't feel like "cooking" but you still want something warm in your little one's tummy.

It's from mother of 4 jaydenblu ...

You gotta be careful serving too much ham, though. It's high in fat and sodium. Some tasty low-sodium choices are often available at the deli counter. Once in a while, I splurge on a hormone and antibiotic free petite ham from Niman Ranch. They run about $15 for a couple of pounds, BUT you'd be surprised how far that goes. Ham is so flavorful and rich, you only need a little bit. We get several meals out of it, and I often freeze half for later.

Photo by Veela

I was amused to read that parents in the New York area are bringing their kids to a free day care service offered at furniture store IKEA—even if they aren't shopping for furniture! Some say it's a relaxing "date night" for them and their spouse: They can relax on the couches for 45 minutes while their kids have fun in the day care center.

Photo by MattisMommy09

This came up recently at a friend's barbecue, and I'm sure with all the Fourth of July parties this weekend it's bound to be an issue again: Explaining to my 6 year old and 4 year old why they aren't allowed to handle sparklers, even though other kids are doing it.

It's too bad I have to deprive my little ones of this Americana experience that I remember so fondly. Then again, at their age I also shot guns, rode around unrestrained in the bed of my dad's pickup on major roads, and did all sorts of other things that makes me wonder how I ever survived childhood in the first place.

But that was then and this is now. Try explaining that to a toddler!

Photo by marthasnail

I just lived (barely) through FOUR long and oozy days of caring for a tot with the stomach flu, only to get double whammied one day into "wellness" when my oldest got the flu next.

Calgon, take me away!

Photo by social1972

For most of the year, bedtime at my house is between 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. This is not a problem in the winter because the days are short and it's dark by bedtime.

But now during summer, when the days are long and the nights are short, I get, "Mommy, it's still daytime, it's not bedtime yet!"

And, "Mommy, the sun's up! Time for breakfast! (between 5 and 6 a.m.)

This is not fun for mom and dad, plus the kiddos are getting way less than the 12 hours sleep they should.

Moms in the Heated Debates group were sharing ways to foil the sunlight and get their toddlers to stick to normal sleep schedules in the summer -- not an easy task.

If you have a toddler (or have already gone through the toddler phase), I'm sure you are far too familiar with the outrageous episodes of screaming, crying, throw downs on the floor. Here are some links I love about how other moms dealt with disciplinary issues:

Photo by lshartnett

The toddler years are the perfect age to start teaching your kids manners and good habits. And MrsManners aka: Angela Pitre, owner of the CM group Manners for the Modern Family and FamilyMannersMadeFun.com, is here to help.

Dear MrsManners:

My 14 month old daughter is obsessed with taking food from other kids. If she doesn't get any, or they refuse to give her any, she throws a mini tantrum. At Mommy and Me classes, she always crawls or walks around and sees what everyone else has for snack. When I go to fetch her back, she screams, falls to the floor, and stiffens her body so I cant pick her up. She also likes to root through other mommys' bags.

How can I teach her that taking food from other people is bad? And how can I stop the falling on the floor bit?