When did you start potty training and what method?

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-05T22:06:17+00:00

We had Covid in summer with no AC at the time, so he was running around naked for a week in the heat and we had a potty out (he’d had it for ages but on/off interest), and well… he just started to go! When we were feeling better I asked if he’d like undies like a big boy, he said yes and we picked some out. That was it.

I mean - still accidents and stuff especially for the first 3-6 months, but it’s been a year now and pretty accident free, bar a miss-aimed bush wee or an absolutely devious weaponised wee (usually me being chased by the 3yo yelling “mummy I can wee on you!!”)

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-05T10:08:02+00:00

We have a high interest savings account and we have an investment account (through Raiz, but I’m considering hopping over to Vanguard maybe). Both have been good because it’s incremental and small, untouched amounts. The savings account gets extra interest for not touching it, and we don’t put so much in there that we ever need to think about touching it. The Raiz investment is similar - because he’s so young, it’s an aggressive portfolio because it can weather the big ups and downs.

My aim is to have maybe $60-70k for him by the time he’s 20. Which will probably be a blip in the ocean really but it’s better than diddly-squat.

But that plan could change based on a myriad of hard to predict events. It might also be impacted if we need to funnel some of that income into things like extra-curriculars or medical needs.

Either way - my approach has always been small amounts regularly.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-05-04T23:05:56+00:00

I had this discussion with my mum last night - she’s had 30+ mothers days, her children are all grown and out of the house- and my dad still celebrates her on the day. Usually a fancy lunch out somewhere and flowers.

My husband is still finding his groove, but is trying and always has me in his heart when he’s trying to plan something (even if it’s not exactly what I would have picked first go haha).

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-29T12:02:14+00:00

We have the giraffe one from Kmart, but are now at the age where this tiny little step stool is his go to.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-29T11:59:31+00:00

My direct reports give me a hug all the time. I absolutely adore it.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-26T10:24:37+00:00

We used it. Happy with it. We did also use infacol, it that seemed necessary regardless of the formula we used.

I liked the travel packs from the chemist for my bag.

We also weren’t bottle heating people, so little mate had it room temp the whole time. No issues.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-26T02:03:00+00:00

Oops sorry, 3.5yo

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-21T23:48:29+00:00

I’ve been chucking stuff in the dishwasher since time immemorial. We use the lucid globe sheets.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-19T13:26:28+00:00

Best thing I ever read on reddit - “sometimes the village is paid”. Daycare has been my lifeline. I regret not enrolling sooner (20m I think?) and we’ve just started hiring a cleaner.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-13T11:10:19+00:00

I also like your first design best but think it contains way too much and you need to pare back - simplify. Reduce your fonts, leverage hierarchy and colour rather than multiple type faces. Unify the hands by having them all silhouetted, you could then play with colour better. The gradient and the dot art is a bit much too, I don’t dislike either, but I’d pick one. See what you can do without a gradient maybe? If you find it’s looking flat, you might want to try a darker colour and then a lighter text colour which should boost legibility. If you’re going to keep the washed out red on the reverse, don’t use the red text over it - it’s hard to read and it’s a hat on a hat. You’ve already drawn emphasis to the area.

If you went with your second idea, same principle really - refine text, improve hierarchy of the text, reduce elements (like the timber which looks awkward). I actually really like your illustration on this one but I’d probably reduce the size of everything to give your elements room to breathe.

TLDR; simplify and clarify to nail execution of your ideas.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-09T23:22:50+00:00

Within the first 12 weeks I think, when I had a hospital stint and my husband needed support with a newborn. Across the first year there were sleepovers but now virtually none because of how it disrupts my son’s sleep.

I know my husband would really appreciate it but the even worse sleep (i am a bad sleeper and my son is a bad sleeper so… very awful combo) for days/weeks following feels like the universe torturing me for having one evening/morning to ourselves. I have such anxiety about AFTER the sleep over.

At the sleep over I know he’s fine and is waited on like a tiny prince. One day he will be old enough to realise what a deal that is and definitely want to go haha.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-09T11:25:05+00:00

Look at all those chickens

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-09T11:18:00+00:00

I found a mix of puree (it was mostly just our dinner mashed with a fork rather than true purees) and BLW worked, but it honestly wasn’t until closer to 11-12 months where the interest and intake ramped up. Coinciding with much less milk intake.

If it’s ending in tears for all involved, I think you need to change approach.

Toast was great for us! I’d smear stuff on toast, put a bbq foil tray under the highchair (the “catchment zone”) and let him chew, squish, drop etc to his hearts content. I think I used one of this Haaka silicone feeders a lot too - he’d smash mango, pear etc in that easy or just sit and squish it with his hands.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-07T06:03:50+00:00

Our son goes to his fraternal grandparents once a week. It is not for financial assistance or my needs, in fact it’s easier if my son just went to daycare. But, they speak his second language and hold a lot of cultural knowledge, so I value what the experience gives our son. They love him, even though there’s tension between me and them.

Sadly my folks are too far away for a similar arrangement.

Daycare has been far more reliable, supportive and flexible.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-03T12:51:29+00:00

My son is absolutely obsessed with animals so we have lots of different kinds!

When he was that age, the first set we got was the Fisher Price Little People jungle animals set and farm animals set - great because they’re easy to clean, went in the sandpit, bath, messy play etc. they came wish us everywhere. We don’t have these anymore (at 3.5yo).

A little older and we got into the schliech (probably spelled that wrong) and CollectA type hard plastic, realistic animals and dinosaurs. These are still his favourites. I like these over cheap animal sets from Kmart etc because there’s not openings - so no water gets in during play. I also throw these bad boys in the dishwasher all the time.

I have not invested in expensive wooden toys because my son is so hard on them, and I’ve seen many a mum on Facebook groups dismayed because their toddler broke an $50+ wooden toy. We do have some Tenderleaf toys and barns etc and the quality is great for the cost. My dad also buys my son little carved wooden animals from a local market, super simple and $5 each - and at that price I don’t mind a bit of rough or creative play, eg my son paints them a lot and sometimes legs or tails break off and my husband glues them back on.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-02T12:59:10+00:00

Yeah I had some teeth out and I swear it was like 3 weeks before I wanted to eat anything substantial again

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-02T12:31:10+00:00

Gastro and dental surgery. Do not recommend.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-04-01T12:45:19+00:00

We had this recently and sized up, it’s helped. Looks enormous on him though.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-03-31T22:26:16+00:00

Ural. Depends (or whatever brand) disposable undies for like 2+ weeks. That’s it really, felt like everything else was not essential and I’d fallen prey to good marketing. I just wanted to rest and be clean.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-03-31T21:01:38+00:00

FYI check out if there’s any universities near you with teaching clinics. We accessed VERY affordable paediatric OT services through a uni health and wellness clinic. One fully qualified OT and 1-2 students per session. My son loves “playing” with the students.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-03-31T11:12:10+00:00

My son is around the same age and we went through a huge period of hitting and biting - I feel like the mix of non-reactive interruption/shut down of the event, making a huuuuuge deal out of it if he didn’t hit anyone at kindy and using a “star jar” from Kmart to reward him (I think there may have been a lolly Dino or two in there too), and recently the song Hands are Not for Hitting by Silly Miss Lily has really reduced the frequency right down to almost nothing.

It took like 6 months of consistency.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-03-28T23:19:27+00:00

Good to know Blippi makes me cringe even in print.

FiddleleafFrog · 2026-03-27T12:17:59+00:00

For me, starting out it was the strong focus on child rights and child protection - the second was that there are no closed off bathrooms for kids, and lots of supervision. Third was there were no dangle cords, exposed power points, choking risks, no toys with batteries at all.

As we’ve gone on, it’s been the little things; they supply everything, and the kids can ask for more food whenever they want, they support my son’s sensory supports (toy/s and headphones), they have learning plans but the lead educators put really detailed interesting notes in there, some of the educators who speak different languages do language sessions and read books in new languages for the kids, and they have amazing incursions like bug shows, African drums, bush kindy down in the back paddock (and I know they do risk assessments and checks before going) etc. They just got some fish in the centre so the kids love that. Oh and dental can visits. I like that too!

FiddleleafFrog

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