Midnight wakings for a toddler

Just when we thought that Miss 2 is sleeping through the night, done with her teething for now, she came up with something else. Not really sure what it was. My guess would be either dreams or needing to urinate.

She is definitely more aware of her bladder and bowel movements as well as what goes on in her brain at night. There were times when she woke up screaming for mummy and would say that she's frightened. Slept in her room most of last night and could hear her calling out once in awhile in fright. Then there were times when she sounded like she was very uncomfortable and wanted to get out of something.

Apparently children do dream after googling on dreams and toddlers. They start dreaming as soon as they were born. This website, www.drgreene.com has an article on dreams and night terrors. You can read more about it here.

As much as I'd like to remove all forms of fear from my child, I realise too that it is a part of growing up. Learning to overcome fear is a form of problem solving and understanding oneself.

If dreams were not the reason of her wakings last night, then my next guess would be the need to urinate. She does tell us most times that she needs to go to the toilet. Sometimes after she has done it in her nappy, sometimes before. We put her up on the toilet anyway and let her decide in her own time when she can be in panties totally.

There are differing theories and methods to toilet training, and I agree to most that parents need to make a conscious effort in helping and guiding them to the toilet. However, as far as I am concerned, that's about all that a parent can do - to teach them what and how to do it. After that, it is up to the children to want to be on the toilet all the time.

Perhaps it is a security and comfort thing for children to want to get it done in their nappies. It is also probably the last thing that they can use to retain their 'babyhood'. Once that is gone, they would be 'all grown up'. So, I must say that it is really up to the child to move on in its life. After all, we are teaching children to make decisions and not force a decision upon them.

Hopefully, we'll have a better night tonight. Sphere: Related Content

Time spent in handwashing alone

Have you ever counted how many times you wash your hands in a day? Assuming you do not have obsessive compulsive disorder.

I counted.

On a normal 10 hours day care day, with 4 preschoolers, of which 2 children needing a total of 6 nappy changes throughout the day and all are healthy children, meaning no coughs, runny noses nor sneezes.

A normal day where we would go outdoors for play, have our morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea and 6 toileting trips in total for the 2 other preschoolers who are not in nappies

Each handwashing will last at least 30 secs long, assuming a very co-operative child standing at the sink : 10 secs to wash with soap, 10 secs to wash off the soap, 10 secs to wipe dry with paper towel. NOTE : These are all government recommended regulations.

This is my calculations :
Applying sunscreen for 4 children : 30 secs x 8 = 240secs
(4 preschoolers to wash their hands after applying sunscreen + me washing my hands after each applying for each child)

Coming in from outdoors : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before A.M. Tea : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for A.M. Tea : 30secs
After preparing for A.M. Tea : 30secs

After A.M. Tea : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before Lunch : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for Lunch : 30secs
After preparing for Lunch : 30secs

After Lunch : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before P.M. Tea : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for P.M. Tea : 30secs
After preparing for P.M. Tea : 30secs

After P.M. Tea : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Nappy changing : 30secs x 12 = 360 secs
(2 children with total of 6 nappy changes + me washing hands after each nappy change)

Toileting : 30secs x 12 = 360 secs
(2 children with total of 6 toileting trips + me washing hands after each toilet trip)

Upon arrival : 30secs x 8 = 240 secs
(4 children + me helping them to wash hands)

At going home : 30 secs x 8 = 240 secs
(4 children + me helping them to wash hands)

My own toileting : 30secs x 3 = 360 secs

TOTAL : 2940 secs = 49 mins

It is almost an hour of washing hands per day. And I've not factored in the time needed for children to swap over at the sink, plus the occasional finger sucking, nose picking, sneeze and cough.

With winter coming up, I'm going to have to spread some moisturiser to keep the hands from drying up with all these hand washing.

Wonder if I'll turn into an obsessive compulsive person? Sphere: Related Content

3 wees in a row!

Miss 2 went to the toilet on her own accord from 5pm - 8pm, doing 3 wees in the toilet after announcing that she needed to go. We did have some false alarms in-between. She sat down but didn't have any output. She did not want her nappies back on after the first success and only had them on for the night sleep.

Was so pleased with herself and I was too!

Wonder when she can be nappy-free.... Sphere: Related Content

Family Day Care in Australia

What is Family Day Care and how is it run?


Changes in society and economy has led families, especially those with young children, to put children in care while both parents work. One of the options is family day care. But for those who are new the world of child care, this area of child care may be very foreign and sometimes even daunting.

Family day care is what the name said it is. It is day care from someone else's home. Similar to child care centres, but it is usually run by one person.

In Australia, family day cares are under the big umbrella of Family Day Care Australia. They, in turn license Schemes to train and approve individuals to open their own family day care.

Family day cares provide care for children from six weeks through to 12 years of age. All carers stick to a strict carer:child ratio of 1:7. The seven children include either four or five preschoolers at any one time and two or three school age children to make up the seven. It differs from state to state, but regulations are in place to make it uniform.

It is a small group of children and so children are able to interact more with others and receive more attention from the carer.

Just like any other child care centres, family day cares also have programmes for the day for the children. Anything from indoors to outdoors, from physical to emotional to intellectual, carers are equipped to provide these activities for children and tailor to their individual needs.

With family day care, it is in the home of the carer and so the opening hours would depend on the carer itself. The standard operating hours Mondays to Fridays, 8am to 6pm. In cases where care is required outside the standard hours, parents can negotiate with carers on their availability.

Carers running family day care would have had experience with children, either of their own or from work or community groups. All carers have a current Senior First Aid Certificate and a police check on their backgrounds. As with all other child care centres, family day cares are also insured with public liability, so you can be assured that if anything happens while children are in care, they are covered under insurance.

Family day care also abide by regulations and go through stringent checks to gain accreditation. There is a state licensing from each state to the Schemes and a National Childcare Accreditation Council ensures quality assurance.

However, there is one element that family day care is unlike childcare and that is the fees structure. Family day cares charge by the hour or half hourly whereas child care centres have a flat rate for the whole day.

So, depending on your needs and child's maturity, family day care might be the option for the working parents.

Source :
Family Day Care Australia : http://www.familydaycare.com.au/

Sphere: Related Content

Deliberate ignorance to tantrums

Having worked with children for nearly 10 years, I have learnt that deliberate ignorance can be very helpful in getting a point across. It works when children throw a tantrum and demand my immediate attention.

I find that the fastest way to get them to stop throwing a tantrum is by ignoring it. Attended a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) programme couple of years back and it also mentioned ignoring tantrums on purpose.

By ignoring the tantrum, the adult (teacher, guardian, parent, etc.) is giving out the message that tantrums do not get their way. Tantrums usually occur when children do not have things their own way and their only "reasonable" method of asserting their desire is by screaming, yelling, crying, kicking, etc.

To be honest, I enjoy watching children go into a tantrum fit. It happens more to children under 3 years old where they think they're the kings and queens of the world and everything belongs to them and should obey them.

When I meet a strong-willed child who demands or snatches a toy out of others' hands and would not take turns, I'd sit back, relax and let the child go into a fit. I don't know if you have ever watched a child throw a tantrum before - if you haven't, try it. It's quite amusing, but the initial few times could be difficult in restraining yourself from picking the child up and giving in.

When a child goes into a temper, nothing I say will get across. I'm also not inclined to fight a temper child, after being kicked a few times in my early years as a child care worker. So, I'll just make sure that there's nothing harmful in the child's way and let him/her kick his way and vent the frustrations. It is rather interesting watching them.

First, they cry and tears flow. They might kick viscously, depending on the nature of the child. Screaming and yelling is probably inevitable.

The second stage of the tantrum throwing involves more screaming and more kicks, with some tears. The child starts to look in the adult's direction to make sure that the adult is still looking.

The third stage comes the forced and fake tears, less screaming and kicking, probably running out of steam. This stage has the child making sure that the adult's watching before the screams come.

The final stage has the child sulking and ignoring people, sometimes deliberately hurting another child.

I go to the child at the sulking stage, give him/her a hug and talk to him/her why the demands were not met and that throwing a tantrum will not get him/her anywhere with me. Half the time, the child ignores me, but I know that the words I say sink in a lot more better than when I try to yell over their screaming voices.

The child might get into another tantrum another day over something, but it will not be as strong as the first tantrum, because he/she would know that no matter how long the tantrum lasts, I'll still not give in.

It's not that there is no room for negotiation for their demands, but that I'm teaching them to ask and wait for a response rather than scream and cry. I want them to say what they feel instead of throwing a tantrum. Children will also learn from a young age that not everything that they want will be given to them. It'll help them to be better communicators when they grow up. For children over 3 years old, I get them to tell me how they feel instead of sulking and yelling.

Children learn by example and it helps them to learn how to express themselves when adults can model good verbal communication by expressing their thoughts and feelings in proper words. No swearing.

Next time you meet a temper tantrum, try ignoring it and come back to talk about it. Love the person, but condone any bad behaviour. Sphere: Related Content

Cloth nappies

My daughter will be pooing me into poverty at the rate that she's disposing of the disposable nappies.

She seemed to have a better sense of her bowel movements and that unfortunately also meant that she wanted a change of nappies everytime she did a wee or a poo. She'd still insist on sitting on the toilet before being changed though.

So, my only other alternative is to look up cloth nappies and came across Monk N Bear. They're much cheaper compared to other cloth nappies online and quality and review seemed to be on par.

I've asked for a couple of nappies and extra inserts, but because the inserts are out of stock, I'll have to wait a few more weeks before I can get hold of my cloth nappies.

I've chosen to go with Monk N Bear not only because of its cheaper price, but also because the nappies work a bit differently from others. Some brands have different sizes for different ages, but Monk N Bear is a one size fits all. The other thing I like about it is that the inserts can be removed and replaced, instead of changing the whole nappy. The inserts are clip-ons over the waterproof cloth nappy and can be removed when soiled. Less washing to be done and money saving too.

Looking forward to the nappies and will be trying them on Miss 2 once they arrive! Sphere: Related Content

Mummy, I want to do a wee

Yup, my 2y.o. said that to me this morning while having breakfast. Usually, when she say that, it's because she had done one in the nappy already and just wants to sit on the toilet. We walked to the toilet, pulled off her nappy and sat her on the toilet seat.

The next thing I knew, I heard this gush of urine into the toilet! Wow! I was impressed! she could actually hold her bladder till she was seated!

That's the start of something positive and I look forward to more demands of "Mummy, I want to do a wee." And hopefully we'll have a toilet-trained young lady by the end of the year. Sphere: Related Content