The reading thing is so cute too…the new room has little word tags all over it in their appropriate places: Sink. Toilet. Paper towels. Clock. Chair. Blocks. And they're in English and Spanish, to encourage them to be bilingual, which I love!
While the full-time transition will not happen for another two months, they are putting him in there for a few hours a day to get adjusted to his new environment and new peers. It really is exciting to me that he has a new place to play with new friends and new toys, but I’m a little concerned about the eating, napping, and potty thing. It's just making me realize, that when changes like this come up in school, it means it's time to adapt at home too.
So my questions to you more experienced parents out there:
- How old were your kids before they started eating AT the table, without a high chair? Did you struggle with them STAYING in their seats?
- How old were your kids when they transitioned to a toddler bed from a crib? How did you keep them in it and not out in their bedroom playing? Or just falling out, when gymnastics are done in their sleep? My kid flops around like a fish on dry land!
- How old were your kids when they started showing interest in potty chairs or potty training? He’s already showing the pre-cursor signs by hiding when he goes #2, which I find kinda cute! Hearing funny noises behind Daddy’s recliner always makes me giggle. LOL!
I know it’s just me being hormonal, but I just don’t feel ready for these big boy changes! Can he possibly sit in a chair and eat a meal without jumping down? Can he possibly take a nap NOT confined to a safe space? Doesn’t it seem early to consider introducing potty chairs at this age? Can any of you momma’s share any real life experience to tell me what is “normal”, what works, what doesn’t, etc? This stage has crept up on me so quickly and caught me a little off-guard. How is it that I can misjudge so badly how quickly my baby is growing up?
*sad sob!*
The one cool thing I realized as I’m typing this out? For whatever reason, God has blessed us with the opportunity to do this all over again with another child. If any of you were surprised by our news, don’t feel alone. I still have to pinch myself to remember it’s not a dream!
10 comments:
Ok A, here's all of my "experienced" advice:
With the highchair, we used the one that turns in to a booster, so they were in that until 2-2 1/2. But at 1 1/2 they sat at the table in it. They both sit at the table now with no booster. Rea's almost 3. And No, they don't always stay in their chairs. It's a constant up down most days.
Both of the older 2 went into a big bed at 18months. They loved the independence and didn't cry as much at night. I did have to lay down with them for awhile in the beginning. But it fades. Now I just kiss good night and leave. I never got side rails, I just used pillows. One side of their bed was against the wall. And the mattress or box spring was on the floor for awhile in the beginning. And sometimes either of them still fall out of bed....they are movers in bed. Especially NOah, he flips in his sleep.
Well, Noah's a different potty story all together. But Reagan has been stubborn and I would rather wait until she's ready to do it rather than me bully her. SO hopefully right after the 3rd bday....we'll see. All you can do is ask him if he wants to go potty.
Hope any of this helps!
I don't think I have met anyone who has potty trained a boy before 2.5 years. Monkey seems way young to me for that. As for big boy beds, I know my friend Joia has transitioned her son Keenan and he is about 2 years ...
When Luke started school this year he was 18 months and they had them eating at a "big boy table with chairs." He did great and his teachers taught him how we sit and eat and then when we're done we go play. It's a huge blessing to be taught, so he is learning table manners already. As for no crib napping, he still uses the crib at home, but at 22 months they moved them napmats at school. I was SUPER skeptical, but they are pros and said he had no problem staying on it and went to sleep really quickly. One trick was we used the napmat at home for a month or so, and played "night night" on it, so he would understand when there's a pillow and blanket on the floor, it's for night night time. He never fell asleep at home, but I hope that helped make the concept a little less foreign. As for potty...yikes! We have not got there yet, I'm waiting until school is out, but he does tell me when he goes #2, so I think he's getting closer. One thing we are working on in preparation is being able to pull our pants off and on (elastic). That could lead to a naked baby running around all the time...but I figure he's gotta know how to do that at some point to go potty by himself. :)
Hope that helps...these sweet boys grow so fast, but what blessings they are!!
So many changes you are going through! Some exciting and some so scary but I have complete faith that you will do what is best for you and your little monkey!
As for me, I took London out of her highchair and into a little booster seat around 18 months. The booster seat has straps so I never had a problem with her trying to get down. She actually still sits in the booster seat. She's too short and can't see. I don't strap her in anymore though.
I put London into her toddler bed around 2 years. Her crib transitioned into the toddler bed. It was so low to the ground and had a little rail built in so she wouldn't fall. Loved this! My advice--keep them in their crib for as long as possible! Because it's all over after that! London got out all the time and we finally had to put a gate up by her door. The gate is still there! Her b-day is coming up this week (Yikes--she is going to be 3!!) and we bought her a big girl bed. It's full sized!!!!
I didn't start potty training her until she was a little over 2. That is a long, hard process. We still have trouble with #2. Every kiddo is different but like I said you will do what is best for you! Good luck with your big boy!!! :)
Yikes! Maybe it's because I still think of your little Monkey being just that - little - but this all sounds so young to me! K is 18 mos: still in crib, booster seat w/strap. We only moved D to the big chair b/c K needed the booster. She was 2 1/2. D moved to a big girl bed when she started climbing into her crib unassisted. 23 mos, I think? Potty training .... blech. Talk to Alison. Both her boys were trained by 2ish. Good luck!
Hmmm...Mr. Independence wouldn't sit in his highchair which I thought would be handy for a long time as it was also a booster seat. He won't even sit in either one when we go to restaurants and so he just sits at a normal chair at the table. Lots of up and down, but that's pretty much him in all of life:-)
Moved into the toddler bed, I want to say, around 25 months? We were using the pack n play as a transition from the Amby bed and the day that I caught him with one leg over the side...that was it. I had him watch me take it apart while explaining that he'd be sleeping in the big boy bed (toddler bed was already set up in his room) from then on. It actually went really smoothly. As for him getting up...I made sure his room was well childproofed and put one of those plastic doorknob covers on the inside of his door, so that he couldn't get out. Actually, one of the easier transitions we've made!:-)
As far as potty-training...ugghh. He's been showing interest since, yeah, June (23 months). Mommy's the one that hasn't gotten with the program. Kind of pathetic b/c I have a feeling that he'd actually get it really quickly if his mother wasn't such a pansy about starting the whole process! Wow...that may be my first blog confessional;-)
Girl, I could write a whole post just on this stuff. In fact, I will. Later!
It just doesn't seem right that the little monkey is big enough/old enough for all of this! Oh my goodness! I will definetly be coming back to this post for all the invaluable advice!
Wow, I can't believe he is alreaday old enough for all of this!
OK, this is my personal philosophy. It worked for me and my kids. I can't guarantee it would work for others. I definitely think you should do what works best for you and that might not be what worked for me. Anyways, here it is:
The earlier the better - for everything! Caleb and Deron were in booster chairs at the table by 16-18 months. They were strapped in for a little while. Once they could climb up into the chair on their own we stopped using the straps. We never seemed to have problems with them constantly trying to get down or anything like that.
Caleb was in a big boy bed at 15 months, Deron too. They were so young that they didn't even know they could get out of the bed. By the time they figured out they could escape, they weren't too interested. I'm not saying it never happened, but it wasn't a big deal.
Caleb was 100% potty trained by 26 months. It only took me 2 weeks with Caleb. I started training Deron at 22 months. It took longer with Deron, but I'm still glad we chose to do it earlier than later. He was 100% trained (during the day time) in about 2 months. We rarely have accidents at night now and he is 2 1/2. For more information about how I did this, check out "The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems". I followed the potty training method to the t! I LOVE that book.
Well, I hope that helps. It's just so hard to believe these kiddos are growing up so fast! :(
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