Hints, Ideas and Tips

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2007
Hints, Ideas and Tips
1
Wed, 01-24-2007 - 4:46am

I was just thinking that I would love to find out some tips and ideas and tricks that you all use to get your kids to go things they hate to do or things that you do that you think other moms might find helpful. Post them here so we can all benefit from your wonderful ideas. Here are a few of mine!
1). I have a hard time keeping fresh fruit around. When I buy a little, everybody pigs out on it and when I buy a lot it goes bad. Also, I really only grocery shop once a month b/c I live more than an hour from the grocery store. So, I've started buying fresh frozen fruit. It's usually in the freezers by the pies/whipped cream. Make sure it says "fresh frozen" and look at the ingredients to insure there's no added sugar or syrup, then cut it up for your little one. My little man loves it b/c it tastes like a treat, but it really good for him and when he's teething, it serves a duel purpose, healthy, refreshing snack and teething aid!

2). Logan really didn't like to drink cold milk at first, so I bought some sugar free flavor. We found it by the other chocolate milk mixes and it was singles in a box in chocolate and strawberry. I began adding it to his milk, full strength at first and then slowly I lessened the amount I gave him until he got to the point that he would drink regular, cold milk. Now, he just has it occasionally.

3.) My whole family has an issue with veggies..just like fruit. I've started keeping some of the stage one pureed veggies like squash and green beans around and when I make stuff with a spaghetti sauce or something else that can desguise the taste, I throw a few of those in and then I beef up the amount of veggies my family eats!

4.) Logan loves to turn lights off and on, but it was blowing out all the bulbs and we had to constently pick him up to do it. (We have a lot of the old pull style lights in our bedrooms!) So, we got one of those tap lights (we have constent power outages wehre I live)...they have some really neat LED lights at Costco, currently on sale...and we mounted one lower so that Logan could reach it...and now that's "Logan's Light" and since we put it there, Logan hasn't been interested in the other lights and it's a great distraction...when Logan's starting to throw a fit, we tell him to go turn on his light and then he gets all distracted by that task and forgets about whatever he was throwing his fit about.

5.) Logan loves to go buh-bye in the car, but he hates getting into his car seat. So, we picked out a few toys and made them "car toys" He only plays with them in the car. NOw, when we are putting him in his seat he's so anxious to get the toys he doesn't fuss or anything...we make sure he only plays with them in the car and we rotate them every so often. It's great...it keeps him entertained in the car and lessens the amount of whining that occurs when we're getting him in!
Anyway, that's all I can think of right now. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear it...especially about potty training and teeth brushing (Logan's hates it!!).
Hope somebody can find some of my tips useful!! Much love!!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2007
Wed, 01-24-2007 - 10:01am
To get the kids to clean up their toys we play games like simon says or mother may I. For example....."Simon says pick up all the books". When I don't have time for playing those games with them I tell them to pick up 10 things each. That gets the most of the mess and they don't seem to grumble so much thinking they only have to pick up 10 things.
My kids love fruits and veggies so I don't have trouble getting them to eat them but I "hide" the ones they dont like in other foods. Skin and mash zuchinni with mashed potatos, spinich in lasagna, I have even made pink mashed potatos using beet juice.