Cynical Parent

I’m guilty.

Even after hearing everyone tell me about how bad “screen time” is, I still let my not-quite-2-year-old daughter watch TV.

I instinctively know it isn’t good, but sometimes it just fits so perfectly into your day.

You’re trying to get something done.  They want to be entertained.

And there’s this magical box (okay, we’re not in the 90’s anymore – it’s more like a magical window) that will allow all of that to happen.

But then there’s this voice in your head that reminds you: “TV is bad for kids. Don’t get your toddler hooked on watching TV at such a young age.”

I know.  Thanks little voice in my head for reminding me.

Even though I’m pretty sure that TV watching is a bad thing, I wanted to research this a bit more.  Is it ACTUALLY bad? How bad is it? What about short periods of watching?

Let’s dig into it.

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When you find yourself expecting and the shock/excitement/oh-crap-I’m-having-a-baby emotions start to wear off a little, you will likely find yourself looking up to find all the baby “unfriendly” areas of your home. Wall outlets, table corners, toilet seats, and… stairs.

Keeping kids safe around stairs requires the best baby gates for stairs – but which one actually is the best?!?

There are baby gates that mount to the wall and there are baby gates that pressure mount between the doorway to the stairs.

While pressure-mounted baby gates are my go to for rooms and doorways, they are not as safe and effective for use in stairwells. They’ll work for a while until the baby is pulling up to stand and then entering toddlerhood. Once the child is big enough, it may be easy for him to push the gate over or loosen it with a carefully placed tantrum.

Shopping for baby gates to keep your little one safe around stairs can be overwhelming – there are so many choices! We’ve made it easier for you by narrowing the list of the best baby gates for stairs down to four…

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Are you getting ready to kick your toddler out of the crib? Before you make the big move from baby’s crib to the big kid bed, you need to have a firm understanding of how and when to transition to a toddler bed.

Why am I emphasizing you must know how and when to transition from a crib to a toddler bed?

Well, because sleep is important.

And, if you switch your child from the crib to the toddler bed before he or she is ready, neither of you will be getting as much sleep as you need.

As parents of little ones, it is very easy to start looking forward to the next big milestone, such as the transition to a toddler bed. We are excited to watch our little ones grow up, but this is really one of those times where you are going to want them to stay put for a bit longer.

Trust me.

If you are not ready for a kid who can come and go from his bedroom whenever he pleases, then it may be worth holding off for a bit.

Let’s take a look at not only when to transition to toddler bed, but the right way to do it.

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If you’re the parent of a newborn baby, you may be wondering when and how to help your baby transition to crib. When babies are first born, they are so small they can sleep just about anywhere. Many parents opt to have their little ones close at night in a bassinet or Moses basket.

However, as they grow, parents are faced with making sleep decisions. Many questions arise about where the baby will sleep.

The nursery? A sibling’s room? The master bedroom?

But before deciding which room baby will sleep in, you will likely face the challenge of transitioning your baby from a bassinet to a crib.

This change can be an intimidating change, especially if your little one is just starting to sleep through the night. We transitioned my son around 3 months (because he was too long for his bassinet). My daughter (who just turned 3 months) is still in her bassinet.

As a seasoned mom, about to make the transition for the second time, I have put together some tips for getting through this transition.

Keep reading for 7 hacks to effectively get your baby to transition to a crib!

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There are few things more precious to a parent than sleep. So, when you are purchasing a crib and mattress for your baby’s nursery, there is no doubt you are thinking about your sleep as much as theirs. Crib mattresses can be a tricky buy.

What is the right firmness? Softness? Are there special materials to avoid? With so many options, what is the best baby mattress to buy?!?

To help simplify the process, we’ve done the research for you. As you’re considering what the best baby mattress is for your baby, ask these three questions:

1. Is it safe?
2. Will it last beyond the crib and into toddlerhood?
3. Will it help me sleep by making them sleep?

Here are our picks for best baby mattress for your baby’s crib, each designed to make sure your little one sleeps well (and you do, too!).

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If you have kids, then you have already realized that your once beautiful car is more like a minefield.

Kids and clean cars simply do not mix.

Even the most organized, cleanest moms will inevitably have to battle the car chaos. That’s why I searched high and low for kid-friendly car organization ideas.

Think I’m exaggerating? Unless you have a strict no food in the car policy, then you will find crushed goldfish crackers and smashed fruit snacks on the floorboards and in between all the crevices.

For those of you saying, “My kids just won’t eat in the car,” I’ll let you try that rule on a road trip with a toddler. Have fun!

For the rest of us, it comes down to being clever. We want to take back our cars, but we also understand that until the kids are driving themselves, they will be in our car making a mess of it.

Let’s check out these car organization ideas.

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As a parent, especially a first time parent, tracking your baby’s developmental milestones can be stressful and frustrating when your baby appears to be behind.

We went through a bit of this with our daughter.

At 9 months, our daycare performed the ASQ-3 test to test motor skill, communication, and other milestones. Sure enough, she was behind in most areas.

As suggested, we brought the test results to our pediatrician to get a professional’s perspective, and they suggested a physical therapy evaluation.

The most concerning area was that she wasn’t yet starting to crawl or pull herself up. However, at the physical therapist’s evaluation, we were told that we shouldn’t really be concerned yet; we simply had to keep working at it.

Lots of tummy time.

But we also wanted to work on climbing/pulling, so we evaluated what some of the best baby climbing toys are for this year. In this post, we’ll go through the ones we considered and tell you all about them.

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Crib mobiles are an adorable nursery accessory, but are they necessary? In this moms’ opinion, the answer is a resounding, YES!

But with so many to choose from, how do you know which is the best crib mobile for your baby?!?

I love my crib mobile for my littles. My son had an adorable woodland themed mobile and he used to love sitting under it in his crib. He graduated to a crib soother when he was old enough to crab the mobile and pull on it. Now my little girl uses one and does the same!

I love that crib mobiles can be used to entertain and soothe. In my experience, it made acclimating baby to the big crib, from the bassinet, much easier.

I use a crib mobile to entertain my little ones while I organize their clothes, fold laundry, or take a shower. It’s great for creating a calming atmosphere – perfect for sleeping.

Keep reading for our recommendations for the best crib mobile for your baby!

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Outdoor and woodland themed nurseries have become very popular in recent years.

I’m guilty of jumping on this band wagon! I LOVE how versatile the outdoor themes are. The best part of doing a woodland themed nursery is that it grows with your child. No need to repaint or redo all the decorations in 2 years – you can keep the theme going well into childhood.

On that note, we did some digging and found 12 modern woodland themed nursery ideas for your baby.  They’re all pretty cool and unique…enjoy!

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Are your arms tired? Been there. During the first few months of your baby’s life, it seems like all you do is feed your baby, change your baby, and carry your baby. Each month, your baby seems to be moving on to bigger and better milestones, which may leave you feeling a little anxious about the next big one that will give your arms a break – crawling. These six activities will help you teach baby to crawl when she is ready!

It is super exciting when your baby begins crawling. The move from rolling from place to place to crawling means your baby is better able to get from Point A to Point B with clear intentions. In the midst of all the fun and excitement, it also means it is time to start baby proofing and preparing to chase rather than carry your little one everyone. What joy!

But, all the baby proofing and chasing you will do is going to be worth it. Crawling will give your baby more confidence and independence. Plus, crawling is important for developing gross motor skills.

For those of you who are worried that your baby is taking to long to crawl, you’ve come to the right place. I’m here to fill you in on all you need to know about how to teach baby to crawl, as well as why crawling is an important milestone.

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