Over The Rainbow Books sell a range of products including educational books, sticker and activity books, travel accessories and so so much more.
They are a very reasonably priced small business who will have everything that you need to keep your children entertained and to expand their education.
One of our absolute favourite products of theirs are these Peppa Pig Reversible Travel Pillows which are just an amazing product to keep children comfortable and entertained when you are on a long drive or a long flight! We all know that it's super important to keep children as entertained as possible when travelling! These 2 in 1 products are a comfy neck pillow and can also be turned inside out to be made into a plush Peppa Pig toy, absolutely perfect! Peppa Pig - Peppa Reversible Travel Pillow - Over the Rainbow (overtherainbowbooks.co.uk)
If you are looking for children's books then please look no further and check out Over The Rainbow Books - Children's Books and Gifts | Activity Packs | Over The Rainbow (overtherainbowbooks.co.uk)
Thanks guys! xx
]]>So you may be wondering why our website is currently not taking on any orders so I thought I would explain everything in this blog post.
I am currently taking a break from Cookie Dough Kids, which was a really difficult decision to make! I have spent years working so so hard to build this little business up from the ground, and have put so much time and energy into it, so I had to think long and hard about whether this was the right decision for me.
In the end, I decided that it was, and that I needed to follow my dreams and do something that I have been wanting to do for many years, but have never been brave enough to take the leap and do it.
I am currently taking a career break to go travelling around the UK and Europe with my partner and our cockapoo, Lottie, in our campervan!
To travel full time is something that I have been wanting to do for forever, but life gets in the way doesn't it! I was tied down with my full time job (that I was so unhappy in), not wanting to take a break from Cookie Dough Kids, we owned a house, had a mortgage, etc etc, all those things that can sometimes make it difficult to give it all up and do something like this!
And trust me, it was difficult, I really had to think about it for a really long time and to consider whether it would actually work.
But - in the end I'm so glad I made the decision to do it. We sold our house, our car, quit our jobs, bought our campervan, and now we are on the adventure of a lifetime.
We are currently 2 months into what will be roughly a 12 month trip (maybe longer, if we can!) and we have already made memories that will last a lifetime, and that makes it all worth it.
We didn't want to spend the rest of our lives wondering, what if? We needed to just get out into the world and do what makes us happy and what we're so passionate about, and that's travelling!
So, for now I am taking a break from Cookie Dough Kids, but I definitely don't expect, or want, this to be forever. I would love to be able to pick my wonderful business up where I left it in the future when the time is right. I know I will have lots of work to do to build it up to where it was again, but hopefully that will be worth it, and I believe in this business and know that I can make it work again.
I am so thankful to everyone that has supported Cookie Dough Kids over the years, it means the world to me! And hope that when I do reopen in the future, that support will still be there, and hopefully we will come back bigger and better than ever!
If you would like to follow our vanlife travel adventures around the UK and Europe at all, then you can find us at -
Website - Three As A Bird | Join Us On Our Travels in Our Motorhome
YouTube - Three As A Bird - Vanlife Travel - YouTube
Instagram - @threeasabird
Facebook - @threeasabird
Pinterest - https://pin.it/1AwVZt8
TikTok - @threeasabird3
Thanks so much guys for your understanding and patience whilst I am away, hopefully catch up with you soon, lots of love, Kirsty! xx
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We know how easy it can be for children to get their things mixed up with others at school when they all look the same, there’s no danger of that happening with our unique personalised back to school accessories! Your child will be the envy of all their friends!
Personalised Book Bags
Our classic personalised book bags come in a variety of colours; black, green, royal blue, burgundy, red, navy, purple and yellow so you can choose the bag that fits in with your child’s school colour scheme. They have a five-litre capacity and enhanced viz reflective strips, making it easy to be seen in dark weather when walking to and from school.
We have two different designs for the book bags, one with a crown and one with a star, however, if there is a different design or something bespoke you would like on yours, feel free to contact us!
Personalised PE Bags
Our 100% cotton drawstring gym bags make the best bags for your children to carry their PE kit in! Available in a variety of different colours; lilac, yellow, baby blue, baby pink, black, burgundy, green, navy, purple, red and royal blue, so you can choose your child’s favourite colour or a colour to fit in with their school uniform!
The bags have plenty of room for all of the kit your child may need and are easy for them to carry with the drawstring straps. There’s no worry of your child getting their PE kit mixed up with anybody else with this personalised bag that will stand out from the rest!
Personalised Pencil Cases
This polyester zip up pencil case is available in nine unisex colours and a variety of text colours so it can be customised perfectly for your child. This pencil case has plenty of space for all the essential school stationary. Your child will be the envy of the classroom!
Personalised Lunch Boxes
This lunch box is perfect for school, it fits easily inside a lunch box or backpack and has room for all of your child’s favourite lunchtime snacks! We use the reputable brand Sistema, so our lunch boxes are hard wearing and made to last!
Personalised Water Bottles
Our screw top plastic water bottles are an amazing addition for children at school! We also offer a twist top water bottle for younger children who may find the screw top difficult.
Our water bottles come in a variety of colours; black, blue, green, orange, pink and purple and the name can be personalised in black, white, pink, blue, silver or gold text.
You will not need to worry about your children’s belongings ending up in lost property anymore!
Personalised Woolly Hats
These personalised woolly hates are essential for your child for school in the winter! Made from a thick, warm fabric these hats are perfect for walking to and from school and playing out in the playground!
]]>Let’s face it, none of us like wearing face masks! The mascne, steamed up glasses, sweaty face, it’s not a good look!
But we have to wear them to keep each other safe, and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be going anywhere anytime soon, so where I can try and make the face mask fashion, I certainly will!
Sew Sweet has managed to make face masks that you will actually want to wear out to the shops, to work and to wherever you might be required to wear one.
The face masks are bright and eye catching, I’ve received so many compliments on mine, you are going to want to show off these masks.
Sew Sweet have designed lovely packaging which explains everything you need to know about the mask, including how to use the filters and washing instructions.
The masks are standard fit face masks, and mine sits perfectly on my face, with comfy, soft, elastic loops around the ears too so they’re comfortable to wear which makes a huge difference.
They are made with Liberty London floral fabrics and the highest quality 100% cotton. If you’re familiar with Liberty London, you’ll know just how stunning their floral fabrics are.
The face masks are reusable and machine washable (at 30 degrees) which is just amazing to be able to stick it in the washing machine and feel like you’re wearing a fresh, clean mask. Sew Sweet also sell mesh wash bags for your face masks.
The fabrics are double layer too, so they feel nice and thick and protective, with a close fit, but without feeling stuffy or too heavy on the face.
Each mask comes with a filter pocket also, making it a triple layer mask, so you can’t help but feel super safe wearing them – and each mask comes with a free PM2.5 carbon filter. (filters should be changed with every 24 hours of use.)
You can also purchase extra filters, 5 for £1, from Sew Sweet.
Sew Sweet are selling these beautiful masks for £8.50 each, 2 masks for £16 or 4 masks for £30 and I highly recommend them. They are one of the most comfortable, protective and stylish masks that I have worn through this pandemic, and I have tried a lot!!
Postage is £1.25 and you can purchase the masks from Sew Sweet’s website here – https://sewsweet.co.uk/product-category/handmade/face-masks/
and from Etsy here – https://www.etsy.com/shop/sewsweethandmadeuk
Thank you Sew Sweet, I can’t wait to try some of the other designs!
]]>When to start weaning.
One thing to note is that there is no fixed timetable that determines when your baby will be ready to start weaning. All babies develop at different rates, and treat your child as an individual.
Typically, a number of babies will begin the process at six months of age. At this stage, most infants are able to be in a sitting position while also being able to hold their head steady. They will also exhibit coordinated hand and eye movement. This means they will be able to look at the food in front of them, be able to pick it up and guide it into their mouths.
One thing you need to note is that your baby should be able to swallow without attempting, or succeeding with spitting out the food you give them.
Starting the weaning process.
Once you have your choice of meal, prepare it. Then begins the actual process of giving that meal to your baby. This can be a pivotal moment, so take your time to ensure you get it right. Just to be safe, have their usual milk feed on standby just in case things don’t go as you hope.
You want your baby to be relaxed when you begin feeding them. You know your baby better and thus you can choose to start with the weaning meal first then follow it with the milk meal, or vice versa.
Best foods for weaning.
The entire essence of weaning is to introduce your baby to solid food, but that is easier said than done. For one, you are going to have to slowly increase the density of the food that you will give to your baby. A great place to start is baby rice with baby formula, or even breast milk. They are already accustomed to the taste of the milk.
Next up is an introduction to pureed fruits and vegetables. You can start with avocados, pumpkin/butternut/squash, spinach and bananas. Salmon and tuna are soft enough for your baby to feed on.
Go easy on the textures and tastes.
The key to weaning is gradual introductions. Foods that have strong flavours will definitely be a turn off. What this means is you should avoid foods that have a moderate to high salt or sugar content. It goes without saying caffeine and animal milks should not be anywhere near your baby.
While nuts, honey and berries seem like they could be a treat for your baby, it is best to avoid these foods. The honorary mention perhaps has to go to citrus fruits and the fact that they should be nowhere near your baby.
Messes are normal.
You are introducing a child to new tastes and textures. There is bound to be some form of backlash. They may spit out the food the first few times you try to feed them, then go ahead to happily swallow every spoonful afterwards. In some cases, they may completely reject the food and make a mess of what is front of them.
The process of weaning is an exploratory process; trying out different combinations to find those that work best for the things you want to do, and those that are rejected outright. In this process, expect tantrums, expect messy tables and clothes. This is especially serious if you have chosen to go with baby led weaning.
Baby Led weaning can work.
Touch and feel are an important part of the child’s development. Your baby will definitely be interested in what’s in front of them. Touching it, and putting it in their mouth is a great way to explore. You can use this curiosity for their benefit even further.
Placing a spoon in their hand and allowing them to self-feed can work greatly towards improving their oral motor development, and their basic coordination skills.
Make it easy to enjoy.
The weaning process takes a lot of experimenting to find the tastes that make your baby coo, and those that cause them to scrounge up their face. Don’t make things difficult on yourself by introducing a lot of things at one.
What you can do is start with one or two different foods every couple of days. Make a list of do’s and don’ts and keep going until you are satisfied with the list you have built. If they don’t like particular foods, try a taste test a week apart. If the results are similar, then that food definitely goes on the don’t side of the list.
Give yourself time and space.
Parenting can be a difficult and time-consuming job. Keeping up with all the chopping, blending, mashing and food getting rejected can be exhausting. It may feel like your baby is intentionally taking you for granted, but be assured, they aren’t.
It is easy to feel frustrated with what seems like wasted effort. Rather than let it fester and end up blowing up at your child or your partner, it’s best that you take periodic breaks to help recollect your thoughts. Not only will this help ground you, but will actually give you the stamina to endure this seemingly frustrating period.
The colour and texture of the poo will change.
So far, you are used to diapers that have a runny goo in them. Well, things are about to change. Depending on what you will have fed your child, the dominant food in that meal will tinge the colour of the poo. If carrots, expect to see orange stuff in the diaper. Oh, the smell will definitely change as well.
As the feeding goes on, the poo will start to become firmer and darker. Definitely the diaper will become a stink bomb in waiting. If the poo is quite firm, or even solid, this could be an indicator that your baby is constipated. A simple remedy is to ensure that you baby enjoys a lot of milk, or water.
Make memories.
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and very legal! It is highly suggested that you start brewing some by making great memories of this time. Start with photos, or even pick up journaling. The reminders will be wonderful in the years to come.
]]>As a parent to a toddler, you realise the amount of work that is needed to help this child navigate their way into becoming independent. That process is time consuming, a pain, yet fulfilling at the same time.
Before you get to a point where you can relax and watch some footie, you will have to take some precautions around the home. Your child may be at a stage in their development where they are curious about everything around them, and they don’t know enough yet. This is a recipe for excellent development, but also a recipe for disaster.
So, what can you do to baby proof your home?
Mind The Cot
The irony of baby-proofing the baby’s cot.
That baby cot represents your hopes and dreams for this beautiful child’s future. However, if you do not pay attention to what is going on in and around the cot, it could easily turn into something you never want to see anywhere near you again.
By now, you are probably well aware of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, there is no need to harp on about. However, did you know the mattress placed in the baby’s cot could be a hazard that leads to SIDS? You have to choose the right type of mattress to place in the crib.
The other things to consider are the blankets and pillows. Yes, they may be soft to the touch and have all manner of expressive caricatures on them, but to an active child, they could easily be the reason you will be driving frantically to an A&E near you.
Next comes the cot rails. When the infant is barely a new immigrant to this world, you will definitely have it at the highest setting to prevent them rolling out of the cot, or lifting themselves up out of it.
As they grow and develop, they will definitely be able to lift themselves over the railings. If the railing is at the highest setting, this just makes it a steeper fall to the ground. It would be best to have the cot railing to its lowest setting.
Hazards exist where you least expect them to…
Especially if you live in an old home. It wasn’t until 1992 that lead based paints were banned from the shelves available to the general public. Prior to this, lead existed in a variety of paints, both as a dyeing pigment and a drying agent.
Paint is notorious for chipping around window seals, door frames and other nondescript areas. With a child that is crawling around and sampling everything new around them, the toxicity of lead is not really something you want them to experience. If you suspect your home may have lead-based paints, it would be best to call in lead paint removal experts.
Taking a look at the heater for leaks and the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in your home is a superb precaution to consider. Their fascination with knobs and taps will be great at this point. Set your water heater to at most 50 degrees Celsius to avoid any scalding.
That book case looks lovely, and probably contains the reasons why you are crushing, or will crush this parenting thing you have began. While it is great for your knowledge, and nourishing your grown up children, it’s a superb hazard for that toddler who has just started crawling.
With their curiosity, they will begin pulling stuff around them. The book case, with that heavy professional tome just isn’t conducive to your crawling child. This also goes for any other heavy thing that may be within their reach.
Table cloths and mats look beautiful, until your little bundle of joy becomes curious and tries to find out what is happening on top of the table. It is normal to find your child pulling the table cloths, but whatever is laying on top of the table could be the issue here. If it is a hot meal, or some other heavy thing, then that could be the cause of a serious injury.
Watch out for the electricity
You have watched too many cartoons and comedies in your life to immediately know of the dangers that electricity poses. Yes, the hairs standing on the head and the sooty face are funny, but serious things happen in real life.
The most disturbing this is, electricity sockets are usually placed well within reach of the child! Argh! But it wouldn’t be parenthood if there were no obvious hazards that you have to protect your child from.
The simplest solution is to get those tight-fitting socket covers that a baby wouldn’t have the dexterity, nor the strength to pry out of the socket.
Watch for The Stairs.
If you live in a maisonette or some other type of home with stairs, then you can clearly understand how stairs can be a hazard to the safety of your child. You may have safely come through an accident on the stairs in your infancy, but better not tempt fate with your child.
As soon as they are able to move around by themselves, then it’s time to put gates on the ends of stair cases. Some models are simple enough to put up, they just need a set of screws and you are good to go.
Keep Chemicals and other hazards Out of Reach.
The thing about having a toddler is that you need to keep your home, and their garments clean. Doing this requires various chemicals such as soaps, detergents and other cleaning aids. You don’t need to imagine how dangerous these chemicals can be when your baby ingests them.
Ensure that the laundry cabinets, medicine cabinets, the broom closet and other cleaning supplies are locked, or the materials are out of reach of the child.
Watch out for sharp edges
Toddlers have been running around the home for eons. Having the table in a room has also been a part of human tradition for eons. These two things can sometimes clash, and it’s always the toddlers who come off worse.
When baby proofing your home, you need to scope out all the sharp edges of your furniture and other equipment. There are a myriad of corner protector guards on sale that you can pick from.
]]>To do something that you love, and to do it completely for yourself is just amazing and the pride you feel when you make a product for somebody and they love it makes it all worth it!
Granted it is hard work and there are days when you feel like you wish you could clone yourself to have an extra pair of hands!
So I wanted to create this post to give some ideas of the sorts of things you should consider if you are thinking of starting your own small business, similar to this one!
From all the stories you have heard, you know when that time comes, your minds will be all over the place. The best remedy to this is to have a hospital bag ready to go. Packing always seems like a chore, and that’s when you are moving. What about for when it’s an important hospital visit?
You won’t stuff your bag with just anything, you need to put in things that will be of actual use to you from the moment you step out of the door, to the moment you will bring back your bundle of joy to the home they will grow up in.
Here are a few things to consider when packing your hospital bag.
When to start packing.
Immediately. Well, almost immediately when you find out. Here is why.
For one, not everyone will be testing themselves every week to see if there is a little human they will be bringing into this world. Some couples will just be winging it. By the time you discover you are pregnant, it may be four, or even six months in.
This leaves you with little time to get your minds in the right frame to expect a child, and also handle the other requirements before the baby arrives. This also leaves you with ample time to plan for other things.
Now that you are aware of what’s happening, you can begin packing at your own leisure. The thing to note is that, by the 36th week of pregnancy, you should have your hospital bag ready to go. This is because it is likely that labour can happen at 38 weeks.
The due date is mostly an estimate of when the birth is going to happen, and this is an optimistic projection barring any complications that may arise. If during one of your hospital visits the GP or specialist determines that the birth needs to happen soon to forestall any complications, you will have everything in place.
The bag you need.
This is down to how you like to get things done. To begin with, there are three scenarios you need to think of; what you need during labour, what you need after birth, and the things your partner will need.
You could have everything you need in one large bag that obviously your partner will be carrying. You could also have them in two or three separate bags, depending on your OCD levels. The number of days you will spend in hospital also comes up.
The best thing to do is to ensure the bag, or bags is posted near your door. This way, your partner, or the person who will be taking you to hospital will reach it with ease.
What You Need to Pack.
The contents of the bag will start making sense when labour kicks in. Here are the most essential things you will need in the bag:
A birth ball can be an excellent addition to this bag, but a number of hospitals do have them available. You will have to communicate with the hospital to find out whether you need to bring your own.
Essentials for after the birth
Well, you are bringing a human into the world. While the moment is beautiful, it is not exactly business as usual or mess free. Here are essentials you will need.
Now that you have a new human, you will have to feed them. For this, you will need;
Essentials for the baby.
Yes, your little human, though beautiful enough to bring about world peace, is not exactly protected as they were in your womb. It is your job now, for the next several years, to ensure that they are well protected. Here are essentials your bundle of joy will need.
While you are packing your hospital bag, also ensure that you get the appropriate car seat for your car. Not all car seats are meant to fit in all cars. This is especially true when you consider the year that the vehicle was manufactured. Newer car seats have ISOfix anchor points that securely attach the car seat directly to the structure of the seat.
Essentials of your partner.
Well, in a good number of cases, you will have someone with you through every step of the way. While they themselves may not be experiencing labour, they still need a few things. These are:
Becoming a parent can be one of those things you know you want to be right from when you are still growing up in your parents’ house. It can be a lifelong aspiration that seems like it’s going to be the most fulfilling thing you ever do in life.
Well, yes, it absolutely is. But that is just one aspect of becoming a parent. There is so much more than just changing nappies. Parenting is challenging, especially for children who require special needs. Here are a few more things I have learnt since becoming a parent.
Parenting has no formula
You know those things that your mum and dad did to you that you either loved or hate, they are probably not going to work with your child. Yes. That blown up face you found funny may scare your baby, and they may be clingier than you expected.
Every child is an individual. They come with their own quirks and personalities. Since they cannot express themselves yet, it is up to you as the parent to also study and note down what works and what doesn’t.
This means you will also have to rely on a lot of experimentation. In that time, you will end up messing the relationship you have with your children and if you choose to be callous, end up severing any connection they may have with you.
You have to improvise as you go, and do your best to do what is right for them. Sometimes they will hate you for it, give you the cold treatment but in the end, it is for their utmost benefit.
Autopilot doesn’t just exist on aircraft.
Autopilot seems like this revolutionary feature that eases the burden for pilots and allows them to handle other tasks around the cockpit. In your case as a parent, it is a by product of having to do a lot at the same time, it just becomes second nature.
Yes, you learn to multi task; yell at the kids while making breakfast and ensuring the youngest is dressed warmly before stepping out into the cruel world. You will learn to handle stress at work, pay the bills and still make time to do your child’s homework for them because the X at the base of the triangle on the maths textbook isn’t the answer the teacher was looking for.
You learn to juggle tasks, some actively, some subconsciously while still planning out your entire day. Even a self-driving car doesn’t have this much clout, experience and confidence to beat what a parent can do.
Start investing in SD cards, external and cloud storage.
The thing about having kids is, you never know what they are going to do. It may be funny, it may make your heart grow several times larger, it could be something akin to Richard Hammond’s luck with cars. Whatever the case is, you may always want to remember these little moments in their lives.
How best to do that? Whip out your smartphone and capture that moment!
Over time, you realise that these moments have become large and take up a tonne of space on your phone storage options. You don’t want to delete any, so your best option is to store them off the phone.
By the time your child is two, you will have recorded and taken photos of so many moments, your 512 Gb iPhone will be full to bursting. You have no option but to invest in various storage options, especially if you have a number of children.
This issue is so serious that I and a few friends of mine decided to invest in cloud storage because we just couldn’t keep up with all the memories we were recording. You may not be the sentimental type, but your children would learn a great deal about themselves from the media you record.
Form over function isn’t limited to architecture and design.
Raising children takes a toll on many things in your life. Your home stops being your best design entrant and turns into something that is safe for children. That love seat you and your partner utilised so much disappears into oblivion, and the home basically becomes their colony.
It is at this point when this realisation, coupled with the exhaustion of all the work involved, conspire to throw out any vanity that you may have gathered over the years. What ensues is a period of unlearning, learning and relearning about every single thing that is in your home.
Are those accessories necessary in your quest to raise your kids? Will that piece of clothing make it easier for you to do your job? These and other similar questions will inform everything you do.
It amplifies everything that is within.
Parenting is sort of a super soldier serum. Everything about your personality will be brought to the fore. Your kids will test your strength, your patience, your tolerance and so much more! Perhaps what is important here, is how you react to all these stimuli.
If you are the kind to give in to every challenge that comes your way, you had better realise that you will suck at this. If you are the kind to explode with every little provocation or things that don’t go your way, all that will be exposed.
Conclusion.
Parenting will test your limits. It will give you a new lease of life. It will give you new abilities to tolerate the mundane and the infuriating. Parenting will change you. What you need to note, however, is that you must be willing to go with the ebb and flow of the situations that are presented to you.
]]>Going to the loo is that thing that we do as teenagers or adults that comes to us so naturally, sort of like it is an inborn trait. Now that we know better, you start to appreciate the little things that your parents did to get you to where you are.
Training a child how to use the potty has to be one of the most interesting phases of the development of your child. They are at a point where the diapers of the childhood are no longer necessary, but still do not have the confidence and the nous of using the big people potty.
What brought you here was tips, not reminiscing. Here we go.
Have Naked Time
Your child will be in a time of transition. They have been used to wearing diapers and being clothed for nearly every moment in their lives. Now, you want them to step out of that frame and into a new one where they can relieve themselves without having a diaper.
Best way to encourage it? Let them run around the house without pants on. In the absence of a diaper, this will highly encourage you child to consider other means for relieving themselves, which is the potty.
This works best in the summer months where temperatures are conducive. Also, you child is an individual. Even though this is a tactic that works for many parents, it may not work with yours. So, experiment.
Convenience.
The entire purpose of potty training is to get your child to start using the big people facilities. As such, it is natural to want to place their potty in the loo, where they can get used to using the room. While associating the loo with relieving themselves is important, it may not be too convenient for them.
Their bedroom, or playroom can be a great place to begin the training process. They are already familiar with those rooms, and can be used for quick access, especially after naps or a particularly engaging play time session.
Make sure they are actually ready.
A mistake many parents make is to think that because the child has reached a certain age, then it is time to start the training. Not all children develop at the same rate. Some will develop earlier, others later. And confidence is a big factor too.
Your child should show signs that they are ready to begin the potty-training sessions. A good one to look out for is when the child can put their urges into words. If they point out that their diapers are soiled, or they need to pee, or poo, then it is time.
There are more signs such as curiosity about the lavatory and wanting to be more independent. The ability to keep their diapers dry for two hours or more and so much more.
Include them in the decision-making process.
Don’t you hate it when you are engaged in your most creative part of the day, then someone comes in with something new for you to do and they didn’t even talk to you about it? Now, imagine how jarring it must be for a child who is so used to handling their business in a diaper, to have to sit on a potty.
When it is time to begin the potty training process, have a talk with them. Let them know that they have reached a milestone in their lives and that you would want to teach them how to go about this new process.
When shopping for a potty, go with them. Ask their opinion about which type they would like to have. Let them test it out, uh, gently, in the store before you make a purchasing decision. Including them in the process is the first step towards getting them excited about facing this new task.
You can also show them by example what they are going to be doing. This works much better than verbal instructions.
Create a potty-training timetable.
The thing about children is, routine is everything if you are going to come through unscathed. Like the feeding timetable, creating one for potty training could help ingrain in them what they need to do, and when.
You could create potty times after naptime, or after a meal. This way, the child knows it is a regular thing. You can also create a chart that tracks their progress and let them place stars on the chart when they are done. You can use this chart to reward their progress.
Encouragement in plenty!
While at it, ensure you give your child a lot of moral support. The confidence they gain from the support will go a long way towards encouraging them to do the right thing. You can reward them with a high five or a reassuring hug.
Some creative parents have been known to come up with songs about potty time, especially for nervous children. Songs help put the mind of your child at ease, especially when you sing in concert with them. This way, your child knows that you have their back through these new and scary times.
As a way to cement this new milestone in their lives, it is time to start transitioning them towards wearing big kid underwear. This becomes an indicator to them that they are growing. You can buy underwear of their favourite cartoons, or some other fun designs. Just be aware that there will be a few underwear incidents before they fully transition to the potty.
Songs not working? How about a book? Yes, you are not the only one who likes flipping through a publication when you are in the lavatory, though you may have replaced that with TikTok and Instagram.
A book will work wonders for your little one. You can choose to read them a book, if they aren’t too confident with their reading skills, or have them go through the book themselves. The book will help them feel more relaxed, and thus more likely to make some ”magic” happen than when you are both silent at each other hoping it will come.
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