family blog

  The "Witching Hour" (5:00 PM to 6:00 PM) is the hardest part of the day. You are trying to cook dinner. The toddler is hungry, tired, and screaming at your feet to be picked up. You can't hold them and cook safely. The Fix: The Kitchen Helper Stool . Stop using a rickety chair; it can fall apart. Get a Learning Tower (a stool with safety rails on all four sides). Safety: They can climb up safely and cannot fall backward. Inclusion: It brings them to counter height. Give them a dull butter knife and a banana, or a bowl of water to "stir." Suddenly, they aren't crying for attention; they are "working" with you. You can actually finish cooking the pasta in peace.

  You want to be the "Fun Parent." You want to do arts and crafts. Then you hand a 2-year-old a marker, and within 30 seconds, they have drawn a line on the table, their face, and the dog. You spend the next hour scrubbing. The Fix: " Invisible" Markers Buy Crayola Color Wonder kits . The Ink: The markers are clear. If you draw on the wall, the table, or skin, nothing happens . It looks like water. The Paper : The ink only turns colors when it touches the special Color Wonder paper. You can leave your toddler alone with these markers and go to the bathroom without fear. It allows them to be creative without you needing to hover like a helicopter.