We got extremely lucky, since my two year old nephew LOVES going to the potty like a big boy. He’ll even tell us that he needs to go (when he actually doesn’t), just so he can sit on the toilet and flush a bunch of toilet paper down it. He hates anything that would label him as a “baby,” so he’s always eager to do more grown up stuff.
However, many parents don’t have it this lucky, and sometimes toddlers can experience lots of anxiety about using the toilet. If your child is fighting you every step of the way, acts scared of the bathroom, or is just pretty comfortable with the idea of pooping in a diaper forever, this post is for you. Check out these tips by Natasha Daniels at Anxious Toddlers for potty training help:
-There are lots of real fears involved, like fear of the flushing sound, fear of getting dirty, or fear of falling in.
-There are also lots of irrational fears, like fear of bugs coming up through the drain, or fears of getting sucked in and flushed away.
–Get to the real problem. Teach the to get used to the noise of the flush. Take a balloon and blow it up and show me it can’t be flushed down because it is too big. Teach me to fight my fears and turn the light on myself!
When I was fifteen years old and first learning how to drive, it was one of the scariest and most frustrating parts of my life thus far (and my dad’s, haha). It just did not immediately click for me. I was super angry that you HAD to learn how to drive to have a normal life. I was angry that the US doesn’t really have subway systems (unless you live in a large city). We don’t have trains, buses, trolleys, or anything like that. And things are too far apart to really walk or bike anywhere. 
I believe it’s super important to educate your kids while they’re at home, in addition to their time in school. This is especially important during the summer, when they seem to forget everything they learned during the school year! Now, does this mean you need to sit down with them and assign them essays and homework? Heck, no! Summer is for playing and being a kid.
Who doesn’t remember the very best parts of being a little kid? Playing outside, making messes, and not caring about a single thing in the world? While most kids will naturally want to do crazy, little kid things, it’s our jobs as parents to occasionally ~let~ them and make some memories. Obviously, you don’t want to clean up a huge mess in the kitchen every day, but letting them get messy just once is enough for a great memory. For a list of things that every toddler needs to experience before they’re too old to enjoy them, read this post by 
By the time your infant is a year old, they’re probably already mobile. Crawling, and possibly walking on their own. They can’t seem to sit through all those crafts that you’ve been hoarding on Pinterest yet, won’t sit long enough to read a book together, and get bored with toys after about a minute. That’s normal. They’re slowly discovering their entire world, and are going to be curious! So, what activities CAN a one year old do? Check out this awesome list by 
For some parents, a clean kid’s room is a mythical being. You might get a rare glimpse every once in a while, but it’s gone as soon as it arrives. I know I gave my parents a hard time about it when I was a kid/teenager, and I only cleaned my room when I was absolutely forced to. (I’ve gotten better about it now, thank goodness). However, getting your kids to clean their rooms doesn’t have to be a huge battle every time. Read this article by 
I went on vacation to a state park over the 4th of July weekend. Me, my mom, my sister, my nephew, and my newborn niece all stayed together in a room. I had an amazing time spending some quality time with them all, swimming, hiking, and just relaxing. However, while my nephew also had a blast, he did get a bit whiny, especially at night. I realize it’s probably because he was sleeping in an unfamiliar place with four other people, and that he’s smack dab in the middle of his terrible two’s, but it was still exasperating. Luckily, his whiny moods did not extend to our daytime activities, and disappeared altogether when we returned home. Other parents aren’t so lucky; some kids just whine and cry all the time. If you are having trouble with chronic whining, read these tips by