A Teething Toddler

This morning was a doozy! I expected to have a relaxing morning. The only tasks I had on my calendar were our typical cleaning and educational activities. But, oh how I was wrong! It was not going to be a relaxing morning at all. My two-year-old awoke with a low-grade fever and would not stop crying. After some assessment, I discovered that both of his bottom molars were breaking in and his gums were extremely red and swollen. While some of my other children had problems teet

Hannah

Jan 9

Fostering Independence

Does your toddler follow you EVERYWHERE? Does this drive you crazy? Recently, I was in this phase with my fourth child. No matter how hard I tried to set him up with an activity, the moment I walked away, he followed me. I reminded myself that, as his mother, I am his world, I am his favorite person. Most toddlers do this because they love their mom, not because they are trying to frustrate her. However, this can be quite frustrating and make it difficult to get anything done

Hannah

Nov 5, 2025

The Helping Toddler

I was doing my laundry the other day with my toddler, who had been following me about the house as I completed my morning chores. As I began to transfer the washed clothes into the dryer, my toddler asked to help. I did not respond right away and he became angry. I looked at him and said, "Oh, you want to help"? Then, I handed him an article of clothing to put into the dryer. His mood changed instantly as soon as I acknowledged him and allowed him to help me.

Hannah

Jul 25, 2025

Teaching My Toddler to Say Hello

Does your child struggle with greeting others? Does saying hello and goodbye turn into a long and painful process where you are left embarrassed and unsure of what to do? Here are some thoughts that will hopefully make social interactions more pleasant for you and your child. #1 Respect your child. This little person is learning how to do things in life and you are teaching them how to treat others primarily by how you treat them. This doesn't mean to allow disrespectful beha

Hannah

Jul 23, 2025

Teaching Table Manners

Growing up, as the oldest of eight children from the same two parents, I never thought of our family as "large." I guess when your friends are from families with ten or more children, that is bound to happen. However, in today's society, families are getting smaller. That saddens me because I loved being from a big family, and I think all of my siblings did. Now that I am raising a family, five children is supposedly a "large" family. Whether you have three or five or ten chi

Hannah

Jul 19, 2025

Should I Teach My Child to Share?

I had been dealing with a lot of fussy behavior from my children. It was mostly due to the fact that one child would want a toy that another child was in possession of. The fussiness would begin, and if I did not intervene, fighting would ensue. “Mom!” I said. “This behavior is driving me crazy!” I also told her that I want to raise good, generous children, but also independent children, who fight for themselves. How does one raise generous children who still maintain good bo

Hannah

Jul 18, 2025

No More Baby Talk

Baby talk can be so cute! Every toddler has their own adorable versions of the real word. Early on in motherhood, I found myself repeating my children and changing my vocabulary. Was this a good thing? Maybe you do not think so. Maybe you are someone who, secretly, or not so secretly, finds baby talk extremely annoying! The question is:

Hannah

Jun 26, 2025

Dealing with Toddler Tantrums

My dad always used to say, "People who say to look out for the "terrible twos" never had a three-year-old." His meaning was that there is a wider age range for tantrums in early childhood. Toddler tantrums can occur around the two-year-old stage and last until a child is about four years old. I have not dealt with many tantrums from my children, and I believe that there are two reasons why this was/is the case. First, I try to take care that their emotional needs are being me

Hannah

May 29, 2025

Spring Fun for Children

Ah, spring! This is probably my second favorite season next to fall. By the time spring rolls around, I am tired of the snow and the cold and ready for some good, strong sunshine! My children love to be out in the spring with all the rain and mud. Quality rainboots and umbrellas are probably some of the best investments that I ever made for my children, mostly because the children use both items DAILY during the spring season. Aside from splashing in all the mud puddles, thes

Hannah

May 15, 2025

Fall Fun for Children

Oh, the fall! Such a cozy season! While we spend much time reading by the fire, I like to make sure we still get our daily outing. In truth, fall is my favorite season; so, it does not take much convincing to get me out of doors. Aside from yard clean-up, vegetable harvesting, and spontaneous games of "mom-ster" where I am chasing and capturing my kids, here are a few activities that we really enjoy and might even do multiple times in the same week: Nature Scavenger Hunt —Thi

Hannah

May 15, 2025

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