tips

The unconventional guide to toilet training tips

02/03/2019 By Savanna Robinson Leave a Comment

We are just now into our third week of our youngest being toilet trained. Well, two weeks of no accidents during the day surely counts, right. Toilet training your toddler can be a huge and tiring job. It is not always the easiest task to achieve in your parenting life if you are doing most of the work for it. So I thought I’d pass along some of the toilet training tips we’ve tried- and what worked and what didn’t.

I swear it was super easy with my first, as she basically got the training part done at her 3 days a week daycare. And it just clicked with her a lot quicker it seemed…though maybe that’s just old age making me think it was quicker. (It was a while ago seeing she’s now 16). I didn’t really need to look at any toilet training tips then.

But with our recent experience with Miss just turned 3, it seemed to take forever for it to click. Plus I was only working part-time, so a good deal of it was spent at home with her.

I’d read up on the 3 day training method. And other different theories and toilet training tips for your child, but these are the things that really seemed to work for us.

We started talking about toilet training when she started taking an interest in recognising her nappy was wet and when others went to the toilet. It’s part of mum life to have a little person accompany you to the bathroom every time. Of course when I say ‘we’, it’s pretty much just me. The mum. Dad’s don’t seem to take an awful lot of interest in teaching little girls to go to the toilet. I’m not sure if it’s the same when a little boy is in the mix? (Let me know in the comments of your experience there of toilet training tips with the boys). toilet training tips

What equipment you will need depends on if you want to have a potty you can place anywhere in the house (quite a few in my mother’s group have placed in it the lounge room in front of the television the child is watching) or if want to just use the big toilet with an insert in for your toddler’s little bottom. toilet training tips

We started with an insert seat first. It’s padded with cute little ducks on it. And it came with a hook so you can hang it on the wall when not in use (something I never realised how handy it was till my mother got the same one for their place and put the hook on the wall).

But the adult toilet was a bit big for her. So we tried the little step stool I keep in my pantry. That let her get on the toilet, but she wasn’t happy with her legs swinging and not being able to put them down to feel secure.

So after a while of no real success, and multiple toileting accidents (lot of wet pants, wet lounge, wet puddles everywhere) I decided to go full force in her toilet training over the summer holidays. We stocked up on LOTS of size 2-3 undies. Peppa Pig, Emma Wiggles and Dorothy the Dinosaur, girly dinosaur ones, mermaid ones. Lots! I wanted to be able to send her to daycare while toilet training and not have to wash multiple times a week. We were probably averaging at least 3 wet pairs a day for daycare before she’d ask for a nappy to go on. toilet training tips

I got a toilet training tips book from the shops one day that she was fascinated with it. It was very cool, and tailored to girls. Plus it had a button you could push that made the toilet flushing noise and cheering at the end. I must say it was a favourite book for weeks.

We bought a potty. Made the mistake of letting my husband ASK her which one she wanted when she originally picked the cheapest one in store. No. We had to get the pink Minnie Mouse one that cheered when you pulled the handle on it.

She liked the Minnie Mouse potty for about a week, till she accidentally did a poo on it. And scared herself. Oh well! We went back to trying to encourage going using the insert seat.

Then I reread a few articles on the 3 day potty training again and any more toilet training tips I could find, and about how it might not actually work fully in 3 days, but it’s about still getting them to continue trying. And finding the right bribe currency for your toddler.

So we tried that. I stocked up on a few treats that she liked when at the grocery store with her. Smarties (chocolate beanie type sweet) worked at first. Kinder Surprise was always a good one but costly to do except as a big reward. Lollipops worked a couple of days. Oh and what she called Wiggly Worms (a new mini Curly Wurly bar thing that looks a bit like a chocolate worm squiggle..she loves them! Curly Wurly Squirlies are their real name). She also spotted a Peppa Pig magazine that had about 6 toys and 3 colouring books/magazines in it. That worked for a bit too.

I had a gift voucher to use up at a book store, so stocked up on a couple of Polly Potty books- the story and the sticker book. When those arrived she quite enjoyed putting stickers in the chart at the end of the book, and in the story. toilet training tips

I also used some little sticker reward charts I had left over from teaching, that she got for doing a wee or poo in the toilet. 1 tiny sticker for a wee, 2 for a poo. And when it reached the end of chart (20 stickers) she could get a big reward like her Kinder Surprise. At first it took a long time to fill a chart, but when we combined getting the sticker on it, plus the chocolate and a big song and dance when she successfully used the toilet or potty, they started to fill in quicker.

Another big step was in actually getting a 2 step stool for her to climb more easily onto the toilet and have something to rest her feet on. I originally got that for her to reach the basin tap easier. But she discovered that it was great for in the toilet too, and moved it in there. Luckily we had just enough room it could tuck down the side next to the bowl after use and not take up too much room. And let the door close when not in use.

We got to the stage of her being quite successful for wees at home, but she was terrified of the toilet at daycare. (Doing poos on the toilet typically takes longer to achieve). No matter what we tried, she’d wear undies to daycare, but would refuse to sit on the toilet there even with her other little girl friends who were training too. Thankfully the staff were very understanding and knowledgable about the fickleness of toddlers and kept gently trying there.

She would also ask to put her nappy pants (pull ups) on if she wanted to do a poo, as it must be more comforting to them having only ever done it that way. One would go on, she’d go hide in a corner to do her business, and then was happy to get changed out of it and back to undies.

To try and help with the fear of daycare toilets we had our next toilet training tip of visiting every single rest room around and about town. We’d purposely go out to the shops somewhere and go visit the parent restroom where available. This let her see some little toilets in action, even if she didn’t want to sit on them the first few times. But they were exactly the same as at daycare, so helped her see that they were in lots of different places.

At this point we could go about just in undies during the day and she would let us know if she needed to go for a wee. (With a little packed bag in the car of wipes and spare clothes just in case). So being out and getting to visit an exciting parent room seemed to do the trick for it finally clicking. Plus getting to play in the little play area in the parent room after visiting the toilet made it so much more appealing.

A few days of these trips and she was suddenly much more willing to have a go at daycare. First just sitting on the toilet there (and getting multiple stamps up her arms for this achievement) and then actually doing a wee there. We were all so proud that day!

Since then she has been accident free all day, and asks to go to the toilet for wees or poos if I’m around, or will sometimes take herself off if I’m super busy with some other task. Of course now I’m slave to hanging around till she has finished to help her wipe her little bottom. But that role will hopefully not be as long!

Our next step will be undies at bedtime. Unfortunately you can’t train for that as the body has to be ready for this. But that’s more for a post later in the year when we reach that stage. (Though daddy has accidentally put her to bed minus a nappy the one night he was in charge. And she came into our bed half the night. So thankful there wasn’t an accident there).

If you’ve ready for toilet training and liked these toilet training tips, download our free toilet training tips checklist (coming soon). Or check out these recommendations of items that may assist you.

And for more on our adventures in parenting, click here. Or come in the conversation in my Facebook Group. toilet training tips

9 Healthy Nails Tips

24/01/2019 By Savanna Robinson Leave a Comment

There are many myths that float about the Internet about what are signs of healthy nails or the opposite. So it can be a minefield when you are trying to look after yourself as part of your self-care routine. These are simply my healthy nail tips I try to follow and recommended by reputable medical sources.

Our nails are a pretty important part of our fingers and toes. They help protect the skin underneath on our fingers and toes when they are being used as tools. And they do take a beating at times, because they are there to protect us. So often white marks or spots come up that are simply from damage happening to the nail or nail bed in our everyday lives. How often do you bang your hands on something, and then ten minutes later have completely forgotten that you did it until you notice a mark turns up. Most marks from damage like that will grow out (eventually…the time taken depends on how quickly your nails and hair grown and the time of year too).

Normal healthy nails should be pink where the nail is on the skin, and white on the part that grows off the nail bed. They can sometimes develop harmless vertical ridges down them (going from cuticle to nail tip that is), which can be more prominent the older you get.

(If you want to know what is NOT normal for nails, take a look at this article by the Mayo Clinic).

Tips to keep your healthy nails.

Eat healthy foods.
Drink plenty of water- 2 great things for your whole body.
Moisturise your hands and nails daily with a non greasy moisturiser.
Use Cuticle oil daily (applied to skin above nail, not to cuticles directly).
Keep your nails trimmed and filed to prevent any devastating tears. And if one occurs, get to it quickly to save further damage.
Keep your nails dry and clean – which means wearing rubber gloves if doing the washing up!
Apply a nail hardener if you think your nails need more strength.
Don’t bite or pick at your nails or hangnails. Always use clippers or sharp nail scissors. (Yes Steve this includes you!).
Use gentle products on your nails. Try to use acetone free removers etc so they don’t dry your nails out as much.

To download these tips to keep as a reminder click here.

But if you are ever unsure about something to do with your nails, go speak to your doctor who can tell you if it’s something sinister…don’t just rely on those images of 10 signs of unhealthy nails you just googled! Some of them may be right, but some may be completely wrong and tell you that something is happening that isn’t really. Your doctor is the best person to ask in the end. Not Dr Google!

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/nails/art-20044954

https://www.disabled-world.com/health/dermatology/nails/nail-color.php

Want to take your self care that extra step? Then read about adding wraps and tips on how to apply them.

Reading with infants- tips to make reading with toddlers easier

29/09/2017 By Savanna Robinson Leave a Comment

Reading with infants

We’ve all heard how important it is to read with our little ones! For a lot of parents you want to instill the love of reading and this life-long skill your child will need far into their future. But you will soon learn that isn’t always the easiest task to achieve with babies and toddlers. So here’s my tips to help with this new challenge in your parenting life.

Keep the paper books for later

When your baby is new, they do lots of exploring and investigating with things in their mouth. So keep those precious paper books for later on in their childhood! Books made from fabrics, plastic or board books are best for first books. Reading with infants.

Reading with infants Tips for making reading with toddlers easiertoddler looking at picture book on lounge

Fabric books can have different textures and sounds when touched. We have one with a crinkly noise page that was a hit! Plastic books are great for having fun during water play or in the bathtub, but are also pretty immune to any dribble from your youngster. And board books are tough cardboard pages that are designed to last longer than ordinary paper with a baby. It may get a little worn around the edges, but the majority of the book will remain intact past the toddler stage! Reading with infants.

When they sit still

At first if you are reading to your child, they will listen wide eyed to the story as you read and watch the pictures as you turn the pages. Try to use lots of expression to make it interesting and keep their attention (which won’t be for very long- 5 minutes can be enough!) Reading with infants.

Independence leads to new skills

As your child gets older and learns how to do more things like holding and playing with toys, they will start to want to do some of the tasks in reading by themselves. They may wish to pick the book, to hold the book, turn the pages, or start at a certain point. Don’t worry too much about the story line at this stage or the proper way to read a book- your child is just exploring and trying to copy and do what you have done with the book so far, but by themselves this time. Let them explore! It’s not going to hurt, and it does help maintain their love for books and reading later on. Reading with infants.

Pace of reading

Look to your child for the pace you read your chosen book. Some days they might want to quickly flick through all the pages, so do a brief read of the pages. And other days they want to stare at the pictures on each page for several minutes. You can describe and talk about what is there, but sometimes they just like to quietly take in all that is on the page. There may even be days they want to do the book backwards. As your child grows older, they will get to the stage of wanting to listen the entire story in order. But it can take time! Be patient! Reading with infants.

Hazards to books with children

Infants do tend to go through a stage of putting EVERYTHING in their mouth for a little while at least. And when teething, they find things to help relieve that pain. Corners of board books seem to be a favoured teething toy, especially in our house. Very few board books survived without at least one corned nibbled on! Reading with infants.

Toddlers do like to walk around with their favourite items, including books. Watch out for access to the bathroom or toilet when they can walk, or you may find soggy books around the house.

Another danger factor is food! Smooshed up, half eaten food that somehow ends up on the books. Try to avoid mixing reading and eating. It never ends well! Reading with infants.

Once they discover what books actually are, your child will notice them in other places around the house. If you want to keep any paper books safe, they will need to be placed out of reach (even from climbing…bookcases can be inviting climbing towers to the adventurous toddler!)

Here’s some books that could be a good start for your toddler or baby.

Enjoy this time

Finally enjoy the beginning of your child’s love affair with books and reading. Don’t be stressed if it’s a super quick session, or the opposite, they’re taking forever with pages. It all helps develop a fascination with the medium of reading! And they won’t be little forever. They do grow up and then no longer want a story read by you. Keep it interesting though, and that won’t be for many, many years! Reading with infants.

Interested in more toddler adventures? Check out how to keep them amused on a cruise .

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8 social media tips for Jamberry consultants

01/08/2017 By Savanna Robinson 1 Comment

It is great that in this day and age that you are not limited to a home based business where you have to constantly go out of your home to get the best results. With the advance of social media in the last 10 years, it has made it much easier for Jamberry consultants and other Direct sales companies to utilise the reach of the social media world. But it has also made it in harder in some ways too. It is not automatically going to grow your customer base and sales simply by being on as many social media platforms as you can find. So here are my 8 social media tips for Jamberry consultants.

My 8 social media tips

Tip 1

Follow the Policies and Procedures and Compliance documents. Make sure you are clear on what you are and are not able to do as an Independent Jamberry Consultant. If you don’t understand, check with your upline!

Tip 2

Don’t be spammy! The best way to lose friends on social media is to be all ‘Buy from me!!!!”. Use a ratio of 80% other content to 20% business. People come to social media to be entertained first of all!

Tip 3

Facebook– learn more about Facebook and the way the algorithms work. Make sure you are not flooding your personal timeline with business stuff. It’s actually against Facebook policies and can see you placed in Facebook Jail. Use a business/fan page which is quite simple to set up and a VIP page to keep your special customers up to date and build relationships with them.

Tip 4

Instagram– Utilise a good mix of the 30 hashtags you can have to gain an audience and followers for your product.

Tip 5

Original graphics– Head Office does supply us with beautiful graphics to market our businesses with, but when everyone is posting exactly the same thing, it’s hard to stand out, and can set off spam filters too! Creating your own graphics can help you stand out from the crowd! Be sure to check up on what we are allowed to do on graphics with products.

Tip 6

Brand yourself – Work on branding yourself so people become familiar with you, what you sell and what your graphics look like. Make a watermark to use on all your original graphics. Use your branding on all social media platforms you use.

Tip 7

Be consistent! Whatever platform you choose to use, try to post there at regular intervals. This lets your audience becomes accustomed to your online presence and want to see more of your content. Using a scheduling tool such as Cinchshare can help with this. Master one social media platform before you try to tackle another. It is no use being on all platforms if not much is happening on any of them.

Tip 8

Join the Socialite Suite– It’s a fabulous place on the web led by Brenda Ster. She teaches about attraction marketing strategies and looks at making the world a less spammy place. She gives a lot of free content to help direct sellers, but also has many wonderful trainings you can purchase to help your business including Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and using graphics to brand yourself.