Why You Should Take Young Kids to the Library + 5 Expert Tips

Take a look, in a book…

I love taking my kids to the library. For so many reasons.

For starters, I’ve noticed a strong correlation between how easy it is to get my 8-year-old to go to bed and how excited she is about what she’s reading before she falls asleep. Keeping her with a healthy supply of good books that she got to pick out is absolutely critical!

Our little one likes going, too. There’s just so much to see and do (and try to destroy).

Let’s get into all the benefits and my complete guide to taking kids, toddlers, and even babies to the library.

Read more

Travel Crib vs Pack ‘n Play: What Are the Differences, Pros & Cons?

When it comes to traveling with your baby or toddler, you’d be amazed at how much stuff one little person needs to bring on vacation.

You need to consider diapers, wipes, food, toys, clothing, bottles, strollers, car seats, and of course, something for your baby to sleep in.

If you’ll be staying in a hotel, many of them offer the option of renting a crib of some type in your room; other times you may be staying with relatives. If you are faced with the need to bring a bed for your baby on your trip, there are a few options such as travel cribs or pack ‘n plays.

In this article, I want to break down the differences between travel cribs vs. pack ‘n plays and help you decide which one is right for you; and it might be both!

So…what is the difference between travel cribs vs pack ‘n plays?

Baby crawling on floor near crib

Read more

A Helpful Newborn Baby Shopping List (with Pictures!)

Congratulations, it’s almost time to meet your new baby!

The bad news?

You have a TON of work to do to get ready.

You have to:

  • Design the nursery
  • Baby proof the house
  • And go shopping for all the baby essentials

But what exactly are the baby essentials you’ll need for a newborn?

If you’re like me, you don’t want a lot of fluff and explanation, just a straightforward list of everything you could possibly need as a new or first-time mom or dad.

So if you’re looking for pictures of baby things to buy…

Here is (almost) everything you’ll need on your shopping list for a newborn baby, with helpful pictures for the visually-inclined (I’m looking at you, fellow dads!).

Shopping list for newborn with pictures

Read more

What to Do if the Airline Loses Your Car Seat or Booster (And Car Seat Travel Tips!)

Can you imagine this nightmare scenario?

(If you’re reading this, you might not even have to imagine… You may be living it!)

In any case, it’s frighteningly common, and a huge headache for parents.

What should you do if you’re traveling and the airline loses your car seat? What if you arrive at your destination and the car seat is too damaged from the flight to use?

Read more

No Time to Shower with Newborn or Toddler? Try These Tips

I’m really, really big on self-care for parents.

Taking care of babies and toddlers is so incredibly hard that it’s absolutely crucial that you find any way you can to make some time for yourself.

Some folks will encourage skipping showers when you’re alone with the baby, opting instead for wipes, dry shampoo, and extra deodorant so you never have to leave their side.

I say fooey!

Here are my best tips and advice for how to find time to shower when you’re alone with a newborn or toddler.

Read more

How To Go to the Bathroom With a Baby (Home vs In Public Explained)

The first year or so of a baby’s life is a full-contact sport.

Parents will be VERY hands on, and baby will be on your hip almost all the time.

That makes it difficult to take care of basic tasks, especially self-care. This is why new parents are always tired, unshaved, unshowered, and generally struggling to keep it together.

But there are some activities you can’t skip, which begs the question:

How do you go to the bathroom with a baby? Any tips for using a public restroom when you’re alone with your baby?

Read more

What to Do When Baby’s Room Always Smells Like Poop & Pee

Keeping baby’s room clean is one thing.

Keeping the nursery SMELLING clean is another one entirely!

Chances are, once baby moves out of the bassinet and into his own room, the nursery will be ground zero for everything from sleeping to feeding to, yes, changing stinky diapers.

If you’re like a lot of parents, you’ll want to have some kind of receptacle, like a Diaper Genie, right there in the nursery to help with disposal.

So what do you do if baby’s room always smells like poop? Or pee? How do you keep the nursery smelling nice?

Read more

Baby Lotion vs Regular Adult Lotion Explained for Parents

When you bring your baby home from the hospital, you’re going to realize pretty quickly:

Taking care of baby’s skin is quite a task!

It’s dry, flaky, and soft but easily irritable. Keeping it moisturized and baby smooth is no easy feat.

So a lot of parents wind up spending a fortune on tubs and tubs of baby lotion.

Is that really necessary, though? What’s the difference between baby lotion vs regular adult lotion?

Does it matter or can you just use whatever’s cheapest?

Read more

You Never Know When Your Kids Will Want to Talk

My 8-year-old keeps surprising me.

I love her to death, but she’s a bit of a space cadet. 99% of the time, she doesn’t hear a word you’re saying because she’s goofing around.

Trying to talk to her about important things (logistics, life lessons, etc.) is worse than pulling teeth, unless you enjoy repeating yourself over and over. Getting her to sit still and listen, or move efficiently from Point A to Point B, is a herculean task.

She’s rarely serious. Not aloof, just silly, the way a kid should be.

And she can be moody, of course, often preferring to listen to music in the car instead of making conversation.

Read more