Good news readers, I’m back! After a week off organising a big move, going to a big job interview (and unfortunately not making it) and a huge change of lifestyle, I can honestly say it’s time to reach back out to you. I have missed this thoroughly.

This week, I’m going to throw in something I’ve experienced this week. Me and Laura have been potty training Max for a few months now. Max was really showing progress and really took to using the potty without being prompted. Me and Laura were benefitting from little need to chase Max to use the potty. Things were easy.

Once moved to a new two level flat, it got turned on its head. There needed to be two prepared potties, both different to one another. The scenery was new to Max, he’d spent ages in nappies whilst travelling from flat to flat and suddenly mum and dad were so busy, their focus was on too many things at once.

Max began to regress in potty training and it began becoming tough on us. After a lot of discussions, we realised that we needed to show more love and commitment to getting potty training right. There is a good reason it’s called training, it’s a lot of practice and it’s also a team effort. Everyone has to be dedicated to get to the end.

The changes made involved never giving in and placing nappies on him, making a conscious point of checking if he needs to go before leaving the house, checking if he needs to go every 30 minutes or so by taking him to the loo, sticking to a simple process and even going before and after bedtime.

Since changing the manner we approached potty training and you’ll be glad to know, we have been seeing less wet trousers. Max has also expressed how fun it is to be a big boy. He even overcame his greatest fear of using public loo’s.

I truly hope that if you are struggling with potty training and like me would rather throw in the towel or lose your temper because it’s not working that you find a routine and train yourself to train with your child.

Together, success will be all the more greater.

This one is shorter than usual, folks. So I’m throwing in a new segment that I intend to keep throwing in: interactive tips. We all have a secret to success to parenting’s little humps e.g. tantrums, fun on a budget, healthy eating etc.

This one was one my University lecturer taught me and it’s actually quite cool.

I CAN’T GET MY KICKING, SCREAMING, ARCHING TODDLER INTO THEIR PRAM!

Toddlers like to test you, in ways that make you question your sanity. When they refuse to get in their pram it is so frustrating, because it is such a menial task. They spread themselves and think they have you fooled and if you’re ill tempered or in a hurry, you lose everytime.

So here’s this solution: tickle them! Think about it, when they arch they open themselves up, when you tickle someone they retract and relax their muscles, they also laugh rather than cry. So rather than fight it and lose hair, simply tickle them, slip them in whilst they laugh and replace those tears with joy. Rather than upset them for realising they’ve been tricked, resume tickling, there’s no reason they won’t change attitude.

Have a great weekend and speak next week,