How do I keep my baby cool during the summer?
My daughter is seven months old, and we are quickly approaching summer in Texas. Temperatures here can get HOT — average temperature of 100° F in August, anyone? I’d really like tips for keeping cool in the car, in the stroller, and running in and out of places while on errands. I’m also interested in finding out everyone’s favorite brand of baby sunblock and/or umbrella hats.
My daughter’s aunt and I have different values — how do I teach my daughter the difference without being rude?
My sister-in-law is planning to undergo elective plastic surgery after her second child is born. I love and support her in whatever she chooses to do but we have different values in regards to this topic. How do I explain that to my little girl in a way that can be used as a teaching moment and not offend someone we love so dearly?
How do we prepare a toddler for moving?
Our 2 1/2 year old is VERY attached to our home. It’s the apartment he has lived in his whole life. Because of the nature of the move, we have to go in mid-May. So, I’m wondering: with a month and a half, how can we get our toddler ready for the biggest change in his life so far?
Will I resent my partner if we never have kids?
My feeling has always been that I love my partner and I want to be with him, and that that trumps any hypothetical kids I might have with some hypothetical other partner that I could hypothetically find if my partner and I weren’t together any more. But now I’m starting to worry that I’ll resent him if we never have kids. I certainly wouldn’t want to pressure him, though — having kids with a partner who didn’t want them would be worse than not having kids at all.
I’m pregnant and my partner and I just split up: where do I go from here?
I am very, very lucky to have an extraordinary group of family and friends-made-family who are loving and supportive, but I’m struggling with feelings of profound sadness that I am now going to be a single parent. I’m hoping to reach out to people who have had similar experiences: how did you build a community while expecting, and how did/do you maintain a dialog with your partner about the pregnancy, birthing plans, and vision for the child’s future?
How can we celebrate our non-blood family with our daughter?
I come from a fairly abusive background, and am perfectly happy with most of my biological family not being in our life. However, I’m finding it increasingly hard to find ways to celebrate the friends that we have made family. I want my daughter to know that she is surrounded by love — even though we don’t have what you would call a conventional family unit.
Where can I get a mini toddler bed?
We are now looking for non-traditional options for toddler beds. We have a traditional-sized toddler bed for the four-year-old, but are now in the market for a toddler bed for the almost two-year-old. He is only two feet tall, and we have a really small space, so getting a five foot long toddler bed just is not practical.
What are your favorite animal-friendly, beautifully-illustrated kid’s books?
My kids, nearly two and four, love to be read to and I love to read to them as long as the books are lyrically written and creatively illustrated — and they don’t encourage harming animals (original Curious George, anyone?), or feature name-calling or cranky parents (too many to list).