Parenting Australia Wrapup – April

Instead of letting you know each week when I’ve posted over at Parenting Australia, I thought I’d start doing a wrapup at the end of each month.  Feel free to jump over to any posts that are of interest to you!  Here’s what I’ve been writing about lately…

The Trouble With Teeth – “Both of my kids have been late teethers, and didn’t cut their first tooth until close to one.  At 18mths now my son has his eight front teeth (four top and four bottom) and is in the process of cutting his molars.  Ugh.  The dribble is always the first giveaway that new teeth are on the way.  Drool on his shirts, great slobbery patches on the cot sheets, and a dribble rash on his chin.  Even his teddy smells like slobber!”

Ruling Out Fussiness – “I was brought up to eat everything on my plate.  If you couldn’t finish your dinner there was no way you could even think about dessert.  There were no special meals for any member of the family.  We all at the same thing and we all ate together.  In many ways this has served me well…”

Standing Tall On ANZAC Day – “I grew up as an Army kid, and proud of it.  I remember climbing trees in the barracks while the dads all served the mums on Mother’s Day in the mess.  I have fond memories of Santa visiting at Christmas time in a tank full of pressies for the kids.  I remember feeling an immense sense of pride when I heard my father call his men to attention on the parade ground, and watching them respond to his commands with, well, military precision.”

Outsmarting Toddlers – “Toddlers are smart.  Very smart.  I’m always amazed at how much they learn between the ages of eighteen months and three.  It’s as if they grow into their little bodies as well as their minds.  And it pretty much takes all of their toddler years to work out how to use their newfound physical and mental energy for good and not for evil!  (Ok, that’s a little strong but you get my drift.)  Here are three of the most common toddler tactics and how to combat them.”

PS – so do you like the new look for the blog??