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Your top toddler parenting tips | Mumsnet
Main Post: Your top toddler parenting tips | Mumsnet
Top Comment: Hello! A problem shared is a problem halved so anyone got a toddler parenting tips they'd like to share?! My DD is nearly 2, and we've another baby o...
Any tips for cutting a toddler's nails?
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I can get a nail or two before he wiggles away. Distraction works for a very short time, mostly because he'd rather have the nail clippers than the distraction. Letting him hold another pair has not worked. I'm considering a straight jacket.
Any tips?
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I started telling mine if they weren’t going to let me cut them, they needed to use the nail brush and keep them clean. I enforce this every time I see dirt under the nails and they started opting for the cut
What are your best tips for long flights with toddlers?
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My parents, brother, and husband will be on a 5 1/2 hour flight with our ~2 year old. This is his first time flying so I'm trying to be prepared. Any of your best kept travel secrets would be greatly appreciated!
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Dole out snacks wisely. When I flew with my kid when he was 3, I started with sort of boring snacks and saved the good stuff for later in the flight when he started getting really antsy. First hour - cucumbers and tomatoes. Second hour - cheese its. Third hour - fruit puree pouches (a rare treat for him). Last 30 minutes and while we're sitting waiting to deplane - candy. The escalating interest level of the snacks helped me get him back when I needed to, avoided him losing interest in the snacks. Also avoided getting him too sugared up too early.
Similarly, save the screens for the end. Exhaust every option of coloring, toys, chatting, etc. before you bring out the ipad. Otherwise they get bored with the ipad after 90 minutes and then what.
We did a lot of "practicing for the airplane" in the car. Three simple, easy rules. Inside voice, stay in your seat, no kicking. For about 2 weeks before flying, almost every time we were in the car we "practiced for the airplane." We talked about why those were the rules. I praised and rewarded doing a good job with the practice.
When on the flight we actually got compliments on his behavior.
Any tips for how to cut my toddler's toenails?
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We used to get away with distracting him with food or TV (Planet Earth, educational, in case my pediatrician asks) but recently my 16 month old just cannot tolerate having his toes touched. His toenails are getting way too long and I just can't get near them. We even tried doing it during a nap, which of course back fired and he's awake and squirming around as I type this because it woke him up. Any ideas or special tools I don't know about? I'm ready to try just about anything, except biting them (although given another week who knows what I will resort to?) Thanks for the advice.
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It's a two person activity for us now, not counting toddler. We lay him down, and one of us distracts him by his head while helping hold him still, and the other clips. Iv also started requesting my toddler "help" me by providing me with his toes. He's in a helping phase so that sort of works.
Any tips on dealing with meltdowns, saying NO to toddlers?
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So yesterday I was completely blindsided by my toddler’s first ever public meltdown. This was also an event from my work where everyone brought their family. My husband travels for work so i’m mostly alone with our kid 4 days a week. I was not prepared, lets just saw we both left in tears. Now, my toddler was being a toddler, opening all the closets, running around, grabbing things from the table, but the worst was there was a pool and all he wanted was run to it, so each time i grabbed him it was a screaming fest. What should I do? How can I be more prepared? Is there some book or blog with tips on how to say no to your kid? I felt like I failed as a mom and it was a true crying in the car moment. Is this just me or do you recognize this?
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I will always recommend Janet Lansbury for advice. Such a calm tone, both from her to you, and she advocates the same from you to your child.
For me it is a case of taking a break. You go somewhere quiet with the child and tell them the rules, let them work through the emotions (this part can be loud!) and then try again. Repeat as needed, or leave if it isn't working.
Don't worry about the other people, they will see you are trying and they will understand.
What are your toddler parenting tips?
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Specifically, mealtimes, bed times, aggression (throwing, hitting), tantrums, potty training. Anything else?
Yep, we have a strong willed two year old, and a baby in the mix. Keen on any tips or pointers.
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- Pick your battles. Try to slow it down and ask yourself "is this the hill I want to die on?" at every opportunity. (You're gonna have lots of opportunities.)
- Never make threats you're not willing to follow through on. What u/jaellot said about consistency? This is a huge part of it. Be very careful about what you say so you never back yourself into an untenable corner - but when you say something, you'd damned well better do it.
Idk how to handle this...any tips? BLM and toddlers.
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Throwaway account for privacy.
I have a young daughter (3) with my ex. Our relationship is very friendly and such to each other so there isn’t strife there.
Yesterday on their daily call though my ex’s fiancé was trying to get my daughter to chant “black lives matter”. And kept pushing it over and over.
I am very supportive of the BLM movement. But. I don’t feel it’s developmentally appropriate to have a toddler, who doesn’t understand what she is saying and is speech delayed, to chant the phrase. I don’t feel it’s the best way to go about it...
I mentioned that we are making sure she is understanding and open to all people and such. She has dolls of all ethnicities and we always talk positively of all types of people. I want to keep it age appropriate.
This was answered with my ex’s fiancé ending the call again trying to get my daughter to chant Black lives matter”.
I don’t know the best way to approach this.
AITA if I directly ask them not to teach our daughter a phrase she doesn’t understand? To keep the anti-racism talk going but keep it age appropriate?
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I would probably just let it go, unless you are really focused on not doing any sort of memorizing (like nursery rhymes, ABCs, etc) with your kid. Ultimately we have young children memorize a ton of stuff that isn't meaningful to them. The summer camp my kid was at when he was 3 had them say the pledge of allegiance, which is like...okay they're 3, but I didn't think it was worth fighting about.
Parents that do no screen time at all. Tips?
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For example, if you have a fussy toddler that won't settle, crying when you put them down, but you need to make dinner. What do you do?
I limit screen time where possible, but times I like this I stick her in front of the TV and do what I need to do.
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We do virtually no screen time. My wife is a SAHM. She usually has our little one “help” with whatever task she’s doing. He is very responsive to instructions, like moving away before one of us opens the oven, and so on, so his personality is conducive to that approach. Likewise, I brought him with me yesterday to “help” me stack firewood and put some straw down on parts of our garden to winterize it. If he feels like he is with us and helping, then there is almost no end to to his patience.
Long haul flight with Toddler, any advice welcome!
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Hello! As the title says myself and my husband will be taking our son who will be 23 months old on a long haul flight from Australia to England (approx. 24hrs all up) in December to visit my twin sister. I was wanting advice from anyone who has taken a toddler on a trip like this.
- How did you prepare your toddler beforehand?
- Did you talk to them about what the flight is going to be like? -What did you use to entertain them on the flight? -Tips for managing things like ear pressure etc?
- Tips for navigating the airports, customs, luggage (I WILL be using a harness even if others judge haha our boy is a runner)
- Tips to manage jet lag?
- Our flight leaves at midnight, has anyone had a late flight like this? As we are thinking our best bet might be to try keep him awake and have him pass out on the plane. Though that could backfire haha
Sorry for the bombardment of questions! I like to be as prepared as possible (though fully understanding its more likely not going to smoothly haha). But the more info I have the less anxiety I have!
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So we flew from NY to Madrid and then to Santiago last summer when she was 25 months old. We left at 9pm, which was perfect because she fell asleep right after take off and slept the whole flight. I did have a melatonin gummy for her too in case- I asked my pediatrician first if it was ok.
If he uses a pacifier, make sure he has it for take off and landing- or give him something to drink like a bottle or a straw cup.
Have lots of snacks handy. Also enough diapers since the altitude can cause a blow out. And changes of clothes. I also keep those dog poop bags in my bag to put a dirty diaper or wet clothes in.
We had an iPad preloaded with some simple games and movies to watch . I also kept some small toys in my bag to pull out.
I would suggest a small stroller for the airport especially if you think you’re going to have to run somewhere and waiting in a line a customs sucks.
Our girl moves a lot when she sleeps and almost fell off the seat ( she was in the middle between us too) and I wound up staying up the whole flight to catch her. I would definitely try to find something to put in the gap so she doesn’t fall and I could sorta relax .