With less than a month until I have an adult child, I have been reminiscing (and kind of freaking out, if I am being honest!)
I wonder… how did I get here?
How do I have a child entering adulthood in less than a month!?
My oldest son is not an independent child. He is in the Autism Spectrum, though very high functioning.
His first steps took longer to come than his younger brothers’ but once they did, there was no stopping him!
I remember being so very young and not being in the most kid-friendly home.
Plus, we were dirt poor! So, we had to improvise with boxes and tables to keep him contained in the safest part of the house.
To this day, we laugh about how he was a professional escape artist. One thing we very quickly learned not to scrimp on though, was diapers! The wrong diaper can leave a mess in the wake of an active child!
This kid could get out of any containment device we came up with! He would climb gates, pull toys to doors to climb on them, he would crawl under the coffee table, and more!
Tripp was exhausting, but so very cute! 🙂
As a Mom of three boys, I feel I have a pretty good grasp of all the necessary things you must do when your child becomes mobile! So, when Pampers at Sam’s Club contacted me about sharing information about their Cruisers product and a great deal at Sam’s Club, I jumped on it!
5 Tips for Moms of Toddlers:
While the following conversation is sponsored by Pampers at Sam’s Club. All opinions are my own. It is my story and my tips!
Before we begin, I just want to say,
“Good Luck, Mommas! This too shall pass… way too quickly!”
Tip #1 – Corral and Contain!
As I said, Tripp could get out of everything… and did! With him and with our younger two boys, we were not very big on locking doors and cabinets, but we did try to keep them contained to a smaller area of our home for large portions of the day. We didn’t want to use a playpen once they became mobile because we wanted them to be able to move. However, we needed them to move only in certain areas, simply for their safety and our peace of mind! 😉
Think about the places you spend the most time and contain your mobile toddler to those spaces.
For us, with Tripp, we lived in an open concept home. My kitchen, office, dining, and living room were all one big room. There were times that I need him within arm’s reach, but not under-foot. Like, when I was cooking. So, we had to create obstacles in the living room that he couldn’t get out of. For us, at the time, it meant turning tables on their sides and blocking pathways with large boxes. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked!
With the younger two, we were in a house with doorways. So,we were able to put gates up to contain them to one area.
Tip #2 – Teach Boundaries!
Remember how I said that we didn’t like all the locks everywhere? While we had certain times that we contained all of our children to the safest area, we didn’t do it all of the time. We wanted our children to explore their surroundings and we wanted them to learn the meaning of “no, you can’t” from a very young age.
So, while the cleaning supplies were in a locked cabinet, everything else was simply put up high. It took more work from us to constantly tell them they couldn’t pull or chew on the TV wires, couldn’t put things into the toilet, etc. But, in the long run, we believe teaching them these things were better for them than just keeping them from things.
Obviously, things that could seriously injure them (like the cleaning supplies and empty outlets) were kept out of reach, because 2 seconds is all it would take for serious consequences.
Tip #3 – Diapers Matter!
I mentioned it earlier, but I really wanted to elaborate. With the wrong diaper, you not only have an active child, but a mess following along behind him. We tried so many diapers – trying to find the cheapest possible. We very quickly went back to Pampers and then never used another brand with the other kids.
Pampers Swaddlers are great for younger babies, but once your child becomes mobile, it is time to move up to Pampers Cruisers! Cruisers offer Pampers’ best fit and dryness for babies on the move!
Better doesn’t always have to mean “too expensive” – because these don’t sag and have Extra Absorb Channels, they can last longer! Other brands can leak, fall off, leave ugly rashes, and more. So, even if Pampers Cruisers are a bit more than the store brand, you end up spending less in the long run!
Plus, when you shop at Sam’s Club or samsclub.com before October 31, you get an instant savings of $8 AND free shipping or Club Pickup (where available) when you buy two packages of Pampers diapers. Note: Savings will be automatically calculated when you check out at the register in-club, with the Scan & Go app or on samsclub.com. (see below for complete details!)
Sam’s Club Is More Convenient Than Ever!
With Sam’s Club Scan & Go App, you can skip the checkout line and save time by downloading the app to your mobile device and scanning your items with your phone as you shop in the club. Check out with the app, your receipt will appear on your phone, and you’re on your way! Download the app:
- Apple – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sams-club-scan-go/id1046684325?mt=8
- Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsclub.sng&hl=en
- Club Pickup – Order your Pampers Cruisers on samsclub.com and select Club Pickup to have everything waiting for you when you arrive to the club. You don’t even need to leave your car at some clubs – a life saver when you have sleeping kids in tow!
- Online – Go to the Pampers Cruisers product page and order your diapers for delivery straight to your door.
Tip #4 – Minor Accidents are Just That!
We never put our boys in a bubble. That meant lots of minor scrapes, bruises, and knots – but it also helped them to learn that things hurt. Consequences for actions – we believe our children learn best when things go wrong. So, we allowed them to find out what could happen if they did something wrong.
In fact, they are now 17 (almost 18), 15, and 11 – we still allow them to make mistakes!
Remember, life-threatening things need to be put where they can’t reach them. However, little things aren’t that big a deal.
Tip #5 – Don’t Blame Dad!
Dads are usually much more laid back than us Moms – that means if Dad is in charge for th day, things can go fairly wrong! You might go on a full-day shopping trip with your girlfriend and come up to your daughter missing her bangs, Crisco smeared on the kitchen floor, baby powder on every flat surface of your home, blood in the living room carpet, or dad trying to get duct tape off your favorite pair of heels! (yes, I am speaking from experience)
Guess what…. it is ok! Kids need free reign every once in a while. They need to get hurt. They need to make mistakes. This is how everyone learns! Dad doesn’t want permanent damage to your children anymore than you do, he just parents differently. It is OKAY! Don’t blame him. Then, the kids will think spending time with Dad is punishment because every time they do, Mom comes home mad!
I hope the above tips help you get through the toddlers years unscathed! As I said, been there and done that… three times! They are super rewarding, downright hilarious, and most grueling times; but man, they are totally worth it!
Now…. any tips on how I make it through my child becoming an adult?? 😉
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine.