Photo by Amber727

To inspire my little guy to drink more fluids, I bought him a water bottle in his favorite color (green) to carry around at day camp. But it often comes home barely touched.

"Sweetie, you have to drink more!" I say.

Toddlers and little kids need contant reminders about this, especially when playing the day away in the heat and sun.

Tots are way more prone to dehydration than grownups. When their blood doesn't get enough water pumped in, it gets thicker. Our kiddos' tiny hearts then have to work harder to keep the flow going. You can just imagine the implications for the rest of the body!

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 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.

Schwinn 12'' Roadster Trike; $80

Congrats to our winner, KangaMomma!

With summer in high gear, we're celebrating in Daily Buzz today with our Big Bike Giveaway. We have chances at bicycles and bike related stuff in almost every channel, so pop around and leave your comments.

For your tots, it's this blue Schwinn Roadster Trike, retailing for about $80. Oh, now I'm getting all nostalgic. I love the retro look -- the chrome fenders and a real wood deck in back of the seat remind me of the tricycle I rode when I was little.

Of course, riding bikes has changed a lot since then. No one wore helmets, and I would just disappear down the sidewalk with very little supervision.

To enter to win your child this great tricycle, please tell me:

Photo by cafemama

The kids may be out of the house more in summer, but that doesn't mean it won't get just as dirty. Just think of all that lovely dirt and sand they'll track in!

Caroline78, mom of a 3 year old and a baby, has given up trying to find time to clean her house the way she'd like. So she's been devising creative ways for her son to "help" her.

Okay, so she's really getting him to leave her alone so she can clean for real. But it's working! She ...

Recently, a friend of mine told me it grosses her out when her 3-year-old wants to play in the sandbox at the neighborhood playground. I had no idea why until I read this post on Lil Sugar about moms forbidding their kids from playing in the sandbox...

MoonBeam Lil Nursery Tent; $35

Yay for MorbidFraggle -- she's the winner of this contest! We're always giving stuff away, so check back often ...

My daughter has one more week of day care until "summer camp" starts, so I'm already waist high in water shoes, bathing suits, and sand molds at our house.

Plus, I've been playing with and testing out tons of terrific beach gear specifically for Toddler Moms going to the shore. CafeMom will be showing a lot of it off this morning between 9-10 a.m. on The Today Show!

Now I'm buried in a mountain of really great stuff that I just don't have the room to keep. Sooo ....

Here's your chance to win a terrific Beach Fun Pack worth $120. Specifically, it's a brand new MoonBeam Lil Nursery Tent, River Cooler, Alphabet & Number Sand Molds, Two Game Towels, and a CafeMom Beach Ball.

To enter to win the prize, please tell me ...

Photo by SamsMa07

Last month my husband and I faced down a decision that a mom in Toddler Moms has been wrangling with: Do you join the town pool or save money and buy a kiddie pool?

All kinds of questions figure in: Do you yourself want to swim or do you just want to occupy your toddler? Can they even swim yet? Will there be other kids to play with? Are you just going to be chasing them around to keep them out of trouble anyway? Is your toddler just happy getting wet and splashing around a little bit?

hannahsmommy321's town charges $90 for a family pass (ours is four times that), so she had a much tougher decision that we did. Plus, she's in Wisconsin, not as hot as other parts of the country.

Fisher-Price On-the-Go; $25

Great news! Your toddler is potty trained!

Bad news! Your trip to the beach this summer will be loads of extra work!

Your tot is so proud and excited she finally "made it." Now she needs to and wants to go all the time. And you can't suddenly ask her to start "holding it" after all that talk about listening to her "urges."

These are some of the scenarios you have to look forward to:

1. Trudging to the public potty with your toddler every half hour or so. The toilets are so far away that by the time you get back to the blanket it's almost time to turn around again.