Category: Tips & Tricks

How to Get a Picky Eater to Eat More Food

Strategies to Get a Picky Eater Eating More Food

My son is a seriously, seriously picky eater.  He has been for…well, basically forever.  The agony of trying to get new foods in him is something I never imagined!  And for every hour I spend trying to get him to eat new foods, I spend another hour convincing myself that pretzels might actually be nutritious.

I don’t like forcing him, which is fine because that never works anyways.  So over the past few years I have tried tons of strategies to get him to eat more.  Some have worked, some have failed.  What I can tell you is that I have yet to find a magic bullet that can transform my picky eater into a foodie.  So don’t beat yourself up if your child only eats goldfish and bread.  It’s not ideal, but it’s also not unusual.  You’re not alone!

So the strategies that you’re about to read are what have worked for a picky eater who is still a picky eater – but with a little more variety.  Because this is reality!  

Give these strategies a try to see if you can add even just one or two new things to your picky eater’s diet:

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The Best Bath Toys for 1-Year Old Girls

The Best Bath Toys for 1-Year Old Girls

Without a doubt, one of my favorite times of day is bath time.  Maybe it’s the lack of technologically-enhanced toys or maybe it’s just that bedtime is approaching, but I find it very soothing.  Luckily, my daughter loves bath time as much as I do, so it’s always a happy time!  And since bath toys really only last a couple years before they just start getting gross, I’ve been able to buy her new girly bath toys (as opposed to the hand-me-downs from her brother) totally guilt-free.  It’s been great! 😉

So if you’re on the lookout for gift ideas for a 1-year old girl or just want to make bath time more enjoyable in your own home, give some of these bath toys a try:

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5 Brilliant Solutions for Saving Your Child’s Artwork

What to Do with Your Child's Artwork

I’ll be honest. When my son started preschool this year, the last thing on my mind was what the heck I’d do with all his artwork.  In fact, I couldn’t wait to see what he’d bring home!  I had the magnets ready and oo’ed and ah’ed at his initial creations.

Then they kept coming.

And coming and coming.

I swear, he has 4 art classes a day!

So it wasn’t long before my husband confronted me.  The artwork had to find a home.  One that wasn’t the kitchen table, kitchen counter, or family room end table.

And he was right. Within weeks, the artwork had taken over the house.  I wasn’t willing to part with it (obviously). So that left one option – figure out what to do with it.

 

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What to Do if Your Child Hates Bath Time

What to Do When Your Child Hates the Bath

Bath time in my house has been an up and down roller coaster ride from Day 1.  In the beginning, my newborn son screamed like a banshee when I tried bathing him.  I had to resort to wearing him in a water sling while I showered!

The water sling did, however, gave me a chance to get him used to the water and the next couple of years were total bliss. He fell in love with bath time and it become a fun, bonding, and dare I say, even educational part of the day.

Fast forward to age 3 ½. I have no idea why it happened or what triggered it, but my son decided that he HATED baths.  The banshee screams returned, only this time with the strength of a 3 year old, and bath time became a nightmare.

Obviously, this was a problem.  Our kids need to bathe!

At first, I fought him and forced him because…well…like I said, kids need to bathe.

Finally, I got savvy. I researched, I tried different things, I became obsessed with making bath time fun again.

And finally, it worked!  

So if you’ve got a child that hates to take a bath, give some of these strategies a try to see if you can turn the situation around and make bath time fun again.

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The Best DIY Baby Gift: A Fully-Loaded Diaper Caddy

How to Create the Perfect Diaper Caddy

When I had my first baby I quickly grew attached to parenting devices that I just couldn’t live without (our water sling, the Ergo, and the Rock ‘N Play to name a few).  So when baby #2 was on her way, I had all of those items ready and waiting.

But of course, as you’d expect, I didn’t end up needing them because she had her own ideas and her own needs.

So I started the discovery process all over again and for her, one of the greatest creations I came across was the diaper caddy.  

It’s basically a diaper bag that doesn’t need to be unzipped, is more easily accessible, and can be anywhere in your home that you need it. It was an alternative to having a dedicated diaper changing table and ended up making travel a breeze.

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The 10 Best Books about Trains for Preschoolers

Ten Best Books about Trains for Your Toddler or Preschooler

My son LOOOOVES trains. Train everything. Train shoes, train clothes, train tracks, train stuffed animals, train utensils, train movies. So of course, books about trains are very high on our list of train activities and I can assure you, we not only own all these books, we read them everyday.

So if you are on the hunt for the best books about trains for preschoolers, this list is for you!

Related post: 20 Unbelievable Thomas the Train Gifts for Your Thomas-Obsessed Little Boy

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