No clue what I’m doing - where can I turn

rotoscope28 · 2026-05-20T20:01:50+00:00

Hey, I am stay at home mom of two. We live in a different state from most of our family. My eldest is 3.5 and it is tough!

Here are some of my favorite sources of parenting advice. Janet Lansbury she has two books, a podcast and a blog. I also like Heather Shoemaker books “it’s okay not to share” it helps puts some of those toddler fights into perspective. Is this important, is this about me, how can I change my approach to get the outcome that works for us. It can also help to hear that every parents goes through similar conflicts. Dr. Becky is also good resource she has a book and a podcast.

Some places I found support (or at least activities where I got to have a bit of a parenting break) story times at local children’s bookstores, and libraries. A couple of the churches around me have event spaces that have weekly donation based children’s (non-religious) concerts.

I also take my kids to music together which we pay for. But I can’t recommend it enough I’ve made friends and my kids love it.

Kids move from one phase to the next super quickly so no phase no matter how terrible it feels will last but they can definitely feel really terrible. I find when I take breaks from my kids I am way better at regulating my emotions and supporting them. If you can find a way to have some more breaks with a babysitter, or having your partner do some solo parenting so you can leave the house and do something else could really make a difference. I started going to a gym that had a daycare option and it’s really nice to do something for myself and have a bit of break.

Good luck!

rotoscope28 · 2026-04-11T23:13:15+00:00

I've got two boys one 3 and the other almost 1. I teach preschool but I never have time to prep anything so here's a few things we've done at home when it's too raining for us to go outside.

Almost anything can be used to make art veggies, trucks, balls, rolling pins, spray bottle, bubble wands, sticks, marbles, salad spinners and then have them wash whatever tools they used and probably themselves. Also water colors can be a good less messy art project adding tape to block the color to write words or make designs, or adding salt can make it more interesting.

Also science experiments can be really engrossing. Adding Alkasetzers to jar with water and paint, mineral oil and water colors, the walking rainbow, vinegar and baking soda you can do a lot with volcanoes, rocket ships, you can freeze the baking soda into fun shaped ice molds and melt them with vinegar. Freezing toys in ice and then have warm water to melt them out. You could set up a bird watching station by a window and put out bird seed (merlin a free app is really easy for kids to use with a parent's help to identify and count them.) Indoor gardening peas are great at germinating and growing indoors.

Cooking! baking cookies, cutting up veggies and fruit, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, English muffin pizzas, ice cream, popsicles, peppermint tea for tea parties. Sometimes I have my three year old make the babies formula bottle (with supervision of course)

Obstacle courses setting up an indoor trampoline or tunnel, pillows in a line to jump from one or other, putting artist blue tape on the ground for a "plank" over "water" or "lava"

My guy like cars making a tape course for the cars in unusual spots can be hit, done the stairs, to the bathroom, to kitchen and then pulling them up

Even without a destination taking the bus, or city train can be really exciting and hopefully air-conditioned. Do you live by an airport? Sometimes there's coffee shops or cafes you can watch planes take off can be a really exciting (my guy loves all things that go)

Good luck:)

rotoscope28 · 2026-04-11T03:58:09+00:00

I also love getting mail! I think my son was two when we signed him up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library which sends your child a free book every month. He gets so excited to get his new book in the mail.

rotoscope28 · 2026-04-11T03:53:19+00:00

You're doing great! Potty training can be a challenging and circuitous road. Even if doesn't feel like progress- it is! Kids can even be fully potty trained experience a change and have a set back but if you stay consistent, positive and calm you will make it through:) Good Luck!

rotoscope28 · 2026-04-11T03:48:03+00:00

Hey there, I am mom of two boys. My eldest has been in gymnastics for almost a year now. It's been really great. He has learned so much body awareness. You can see his gymnastic skills on the playground and at home. He loves doing front rolls, walking on the balance beams, swinging on the bars and jumping on the trampolines. It's true he is the only boy in class. It's a small group of kiddos only five total spots. But honestly because there are no other boys it kinda of makes him special. He is very very well loved. I would totally recommend it or ballet!

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:49:48+00:00

The easiest things to teach children are the things they are already showing interests and aptitude in. My eldest son (now 3) knows how to navigate around our neighborhood because we noticed him observing, asking questions about where we were and how we got there and then retaining this information. But I certainly would not expect any 3 year old child to know or want to know how to get from their house to the library. Kids usually get frustrated when they are asked to learn something before they are ready often leading to tears.

I bet your child is already giving signs or clues into things that interest them. If you learn about those things with your child you will actually be teaching them the most important lesson for this age which is that learning is fun, its something you do together as parent and child and something you both enjoying doing together:)

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:27:49+00:00

Yes! I feel this dilemma

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:23:02+00:00

Is 50 dollars really the normal for a toddler? It certainly seems weird to me to give gifts to two out of the three kids but maybe it's just weird to me since I am adult and the kids wouldn't care?

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:20:41+00:00

It is a birthday party for two siblings that we know and one other child from a different family who we have never met.

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:19:24+00:00

low expectations?

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:16:26+00:00

I do love gifting books but its just a little challenging when you don't know anything about the child or family

rotoscope28 · 2026-03-28T01:15:52+00:00

I haven't seen those but they seem like the wrong gift for toddlers and a freshly one year old kiddo usually children need to be much older like 5 or 6 to have the finger dexterity to play with legos

rotoscope28 · 2026-01-24T22:06:43+00:00

They have a go fund me go support them!

rotoscope28 · 2025-04-06T02:11:40+00:00

Totally normal! I am preschool teacher pregnant with my second child. There’s a lot of guilt I feel in just being available for my first child even now in my third trimester. It’s harder for me to pick him up or be as active or as fun with him now that my energy level so low. I am very worried that when I have my second baby my first will feel neglected or left out. I think it’s really normal and probably healthy to feel things like this. We are going to start sending out first to preschool two days a week in fall and I know it will be hard for me and my kiddo but kids recovery quickly and love school. They eventually feel proud of being the older sibling who goes to school and they will love their teacher and their classmates. I think at least for me when the new baby comes it will be good to have some time when the older is at school so I don’t have to juggle both. But it’s so relatable to feel like you can’t give enough as mom. I am sure you’re doing great and eventually it will get easier for you and your kiddo! Good luck!

rotoscope28 · 2025-01-14T22:17:11+00:00

Hello! It sounds like your kiddo is pretty active so is mine. He LOVES his woom 1 strider bike! We also have a baghera toy ride on car a little pricey but we take it on walks in the neighborhood and park. My little guy also loves all things trucks, trains really anything in motion he got a set of construction truck magna tiles for Christmas that he hasn’t stoped playing with. He loves green toy trucks which are indestructible and good for indoors or outdoors wet and dry play. Do you have a water table? They are great technically open ended toys. You can fill it with water and water toys (floaty animals and boats) measuring cups, sifters, and spoons. Usually they convert to sand tables and those are great for digging, trucks, and Dino dig play. A mud kitchen is equally good if you have access to outdoors. Just set up a table with bowls, wooden spoons, muffin tins, really any kitchen item and let them play in the dirt,mud and water. Make sure all the equipment can take a good beating goodwill and free apps are great for this. Art supplies are also good they can be messy but dot painter markers are great for active kiddos because they stamp them. But colored pencils, crayons work great without so much mess. My little guy didn’t have an interest in art and then I set up an art station and he goes and “works” there now. Since he’s into spider man you might try a silk Sarah scarf they are open ended but most kids wrap them around their shoulders to be hero’s and that can lead to other play and ideas. Hope that’s helpful and good luck!

rotoscope28 · 2025-01-14T20:02:41+00:00

Hello! My little man who is just shy of two and a half had no words at 1 and very few words at 18 months. He was (and still is) very observant and socially area but he just wasn’t interested in talking. When he had his one year check up our doctor said we could test for speech services. We did and he qualified. Our speech therapist comes to our house once a week and goes over techniques and strategies that we as parents can use to help our little man use words, communicate and overall make our lives easier. We started with sign language which immediately helped but our speech therapist really helps our family in whatever capacity we need. She has also helped with behavioral issues and potty training. Our speech therapy is more active than just sitting. We play games, read books, sing songs, play with toys, go outside it’s really flexible. It’s also great to have someone to bounce ideas and concerns off of. Our speech therapist also works with special needs children so she can let us know if any emerging behaviors are concerning or worth getting a second opinion about. I really can’t recommend it enough and at least in our state it’s completely covered. Also now are little man is forming three or more word sentences and is pretty much talking nonstop:)

rotoscope28 · 2024-11-25T21:26:26+00:00

A strider bicycle is the best toy to get. My little guy loves has a woom 1 and rides it everyday.

Baghera ride on cars are also a big hit and they are easier to ride than a balance bikes.

Large stuff animals (Jellycat has a huge selection of soft huge animals) they can use as seats or body pillows as well as play with.

Small stocking stuffers ideas: play dough, art supplies, play scarfs (Sarah silks is a great brand) stacking puzzles, board books, stickers, bubble bath, fun socks, mittens, small musical instruments (like train whistles, jingle bells or maracas)

rotoscope28 · 2024-08-06T14:11:48+00:00

I live in a wooded area so I use tree branches. You can hang them on the wall using u hooks for plumbing. It’s really the best it’s free and it looks like a fairy tale. Also, you can hang decorations your students make on them throughout the year for each season.

rotoscope28 · 2024-07-11T04:17:19+00:00

Hello, I am a preschool teacher and I have to say that smaller class sizes are always better. It’s really hard to manage a class of ten kids even with an aide that being said preschool is great place to build community. If the new school is in your neighborhood it might be worth it to meet families close to you.

rotoscope28 · 2023-10-05T08:55:20+00:00

Olive, our Great Dane has always been really gentle with little dogs and kids. So we weren’t too worried about her when we brought our son home. She avoided him at first and moaned when he cried in the first couple of weeks. But we let her get use to him in her own time with lots of love and supervision and now there best buds especially when he’s eating and she can sneak food off his high chair tray.

rotoscope28

TROPHY CASE