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The joys of potty training!?!
Yes, that momentous time in a toddler’s life and their parent’s has arrived…I’ve finally had to bite the bullet and get serious about potty training my two year old.
Using the long bank holiday as an opportunity to do the deed, I prepared for what could only be described as a damp, smelly and frustrating version of hell.
A quick bit of online research gives you all sorts of ideas – from training your little one to use the toilet in one day, to weeing dolls and even a potty training celebration dance endorsed by celebrities like Tori Spelling and Alyson Hannigan (Buffy/How I Met Your Mother). And so with this wealth of knowledge, I decided to face the task ahead…with my eyes firmly shut and praying for the best!
The first couple of hours was spent dealing with six – yes, six – changes, mopping up spillages and telling my daughter numerous times, ‘You must tell mummy when you need to do wee wee, you say ‘mummy wee wee’. To which she’d reply each time ‘Yes, mummy wee wee’, giving me the (false) impression that she completely understood.
And as I wondered why it seemed potty training is the job of the mother, my other half made his fairly timid attempts at encouraging our little girl – from the comfort of our bed, chilling in front of the TV. So when our daughter had a little accident on the duvet cover, I couldn’t help but smile…
So here I am, at the end of the fourth day – several machine loads and too many outfit changes (both her and me) later and I can proudly say my daughter’s getting the hang of it (virtual high five!)!
So back to work in the morning and over to the nursery – fingers crossed they help keep up the good work…
£200 in vouchers to breastfeed your child…?!
When I heard the latest news today that a pilot scheme is being planned in parts of Sheffield and Chesterfield to encourage more mothers to breastfeed their babies – I held my breath and listened out to hear what would be the latest way for new mums to feel even more pressure to live up to the often used adage ‘breast is best’.
So, wait for it…. – £200 in shopping vouchers if you breastfeed for the recommended six months. Oh great, brilliant. Or rather slightly condescending and/or patronising… thinking that the chance for a bit of retail therapy can form the basis of someone’s decision as to whether or not to breastfeed their child. And sometimes the choice to breastfeed is simply a decision that’s taken out of your hands. So what would happen then? Surely it would be as if that parent was being penalised.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for breastfeeding, but what horrifies me is the pressure us mums are put under – by both our peers, elders and organisations – to consider it as the only option.
I was lucky – (when I say lucky, I still had initial problems getting my daughter to latch on and throughout breastfeeding, Lansinoh was a regular addition to my shopping list!) but sometimes it upsets me to think about, and witness, the stress and difficulty some mothers (and of course their partners looking on) go through getting their babies to latch on / breastfeed – made only worse by judging comments or the feeling that they’re simply giving up or not trying hard enough.
Only time will tell if this pilot scheme works – happy babies aren’t just the result of simply being breastfed. A happy home goes a long way too.
Above all, surely education and support is the best way forward, instead of what appears to be a case of pure bribery?
Rant over.
Normal service (ie celebrity chat etc) will resume shortly!
Hips don’t lie…
Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a rant about the effect pregnancy has on your figure or discuss ‘birthing hips’! Instead this week I had the great opportunity to catch new Cuban dance production Ballet Revolución.
When an invitation dropped into my mailbox, it didn’t take long for me to decide my response – hot, bare-chested dancers flexing their toned limbs to the sounds of Ricky Martin and Shakira? – count me in!
The Sadler’s Wells production running at London’s Peacock Theatre is fairly far removed from any typical night at the ballet, but not completely, as these dancers clearly have the skills to compete with any top ballet company. And instead of pirouettes, tutus and scrapped back buns, it was more a case of pirouettes, hip thrusts, hotpants and dreadlocks to a soundtrack of Ricky Martin’s She Bangs and Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie, not to mention some more recent hits such as Chris Brown’s Yeah 3x and Beyonce’s If I Were a Boy, performed by a talented live band.
The tempo of the production continued to pick up pace throughout the performance brilliantly showcasing the mix of ballet, contemporary and hip hop. By the end of the night, it was hard not to want to join in and shake a hip or two.
At the Peacock Theatre, London until May 19 – definitely worth booking a ticket!
Stay safe this Bonfire Night with Fireman Sam
KIDS’ favourite Fireman Sam and the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) have launched a timely new partnership to help teach youngsters about staying safe during Bonfire Night celebrations.
The Fireman Sam Safety Hero School has launched aimed at getting across key safety messages to pre-schoolers and their families.
Areas include fire safety, water safety, safety in the home, road safety and animal safety.
Children and parents can find a dedicated online platform at www.firemansam.com, where they can download a wealth of information in child-friendly language, including fire safety activity sheets, as well as the chance to watch fire safety videos from the Pontypandy firefighting crew.
The overall aim is to complete all the safety modules, gaining certificates and badges along the way to finally become a Fireman Sam Ultimate Safety Hero.
Such an important topic, so it’s great to see something which makes it simple – and fun! – for little ones.