Tips I'm Collecting for Future Moms - Part 2

Following is installment #2 of tips I'm collecting for new moms. I put a lot of thought into these because these really aren't things that anyone really prepares you for, so someone needs to tell you.

Tip #5 - No matter what you are cooking for dinner, always, ALWAYS have a Plan B, Plan C and even a Plan D. Because whatever you feed them one day, they will refuse to eat the next. Suggestions - Gerber meals (my boys won't eat any of them other than the meatloaf or chicken with mashed potatoes, which we literally buy by the case at Target), Lunchables (hide the cookie, otherwise they eat it first and then won't touch anything else), leftover pizza, Twizzlers (they qualify as a fruit, right?). Pretty much anything that you can open up and throw on a plate quickly. Because they will be hungry and when you put that plate down in front of them and they turn their nose up at it, fits will ensue and continue until something satisfactory has been placed in front of them. And yes, there will be days when they refuse to eat absolutely anything other than Gerber meatloaf. And you learn to live with it. That reminds me, I need to buy stock in whatever company makes those darned things. They are like crack in my house.

Tip #6 - There are never enough plastic bowls. Or toddler-sized spoons. And just when you think that you have enough, they all slowly start to disappear and can be found in random places (kind of like the socks that go missing from the laundry). Like in the refrigerator (empty, with nothing in it). Or toy box. Or in the closet. Or laundry basket (which you don't discover until it falls out of the basket and into the washing machine). Or the bathtub. Seriously - random.

Tip #7 - You will need to create a dictionary of toddler language so that family, friends, caretakers, etc. will have some clue what in the heck they are talking about. Some real-life examples from my house:

• Nak - fruit snacks
• All - Little brother Paul
• Oh no! - I just did something I know I wasn't allowed to do
• Fwee - fish, aka goldfish crackers
• B or E - pretty much any letter of the alphabet except for B or E

Tip #8 - Anytime you decide to take up the challenge of taking multiple kids shopping with you at the same time, all of the double seat carts will be utilized by one parent with one child who has absolutely no need for them other than it was there for their convenience. The people pushing around their great big spacious carts, child running up and down aisles, not even using one of the plethora of seating options available, who have no clue. Meanwhile, you have one toddler shoved into the seat of your regular cart and the other one jumping up and down on your eggs and bread. And parent with the one individual child wondering why you're giving them dirty looks every time you round the corner and they are standing there. No clue.

Until next time!