As a mom, I found it hard to potty train my daughter. She was doing it for a few months, then something happened. She hurt her back with the cover of her potty giving her a long, painful scar. From that time on, she dreaded her potty and never sat on it again, ever. She tried to do it in the adult toilet, but she never felt comfortable. It got harder and harder for me to train her everyday until i actually gave up, sadly until now.

I hope this article helps all you parents out there with your toddlers, 'coz I read it too late.

1,2,3,……10 POTTY TRAINING CHECKLIST

1. Assess your child's readiness — and your own
2. Buy the right equipment
3. Create a routine
4. Demonstrate for your child
5. Explain the process
6. Foster the habit
7. Grab some training pants
8. Handle setbacks gracefully
9. Introduce night training
10. Jump for joy — you're done!

1. Assess your child's readiness — and your own

Some children are ready to start potty training by 18 months or so, but others aren't interested in the process until they're closer to 3 years old. Many parents begin potty training when their children are about 2 and a half.

Watch for signs that your toddler is ready to start (can she follow simple instructions? can she walk and sit down?) but try not to put on the pressure. Rushing her when she's not ready will be counterproductive. And remember that what worked for your older child might not work for this one — boys tend to train a bit more slowly than girls, while second (and subsequent) children may learn more quickly than firstborns.

Look beyond your toddler's developmental readiness, too. If she's experiencing any turmoil or major change in her life, like a new school, caregiver, or sibling, the potty-training process is likely to hit some snags and should probably be put off until things have settled down.

There's also no sense in beginning potty training when you — or your child's primary caregivers — won't be able to devote time, patience, and a dash of humor to the process. If you're in the middle of remodeling your house, have just taken a challenging new job, or are suffering from morning sickness with your next pregnancy, it's probably not a good time to try to potty-train your toddler. Wait a couple of weeks — or months — for other pressures to ease.

2. Buy the right equipment

First and foremost, invest in a child-sized potty chair or a special adapter seat that attaches to your regular toilet. This eases the anxiety some children feel about the grown-up toilet — some fear falling into it, others dislike the loud noise of the flush. Figure out what equipment is best for your toddler before you go shopping.

If you have a boy and are buying a potty chair, look for one without a urine guard or with a removable one. You may have to wipe up a little more stray pee, but the guards tend to bump into and scrape a boy's penis when he sits on the potty, which can discourage him from training.

If you're using an adapter seat, make sure it's comfy and secure, and buy a stool to go with it. Your toddler will need the stool in order to get up and down from the toilet quickly and easily, as well as to brace her feet while sitting, which helps her push when she's having a bowel movement.

3. Create a routine

Set your toddler on the potty seat, fully clothed, once a day — after breakfast, before her bath, or whenever else she's likely to have a bowel movement. This will help her get used to the potty and accept it as part of her routine. If there's not an easily accessible bathroom around, bring your child's portable potty outside, to the playroom, or wherever your toddler may be.

Once she's fine with this routine, have her sit on the potty bare-bottomed. Again, let her get used to how this feels. At this point, let her know that this is what Mommy and Daddy (and any older siblings) do every day. That is, taking off your pants before you use the bathroom is a grown-up thing to do.

If sitting on the potty with or without clothes is upsetting to your toddler, don't push it. Never restrain her or physically force her to sit there, especially if she seems scared. It's better to put the potty aside for a few weeks before trying again. Then, if she's willing to sit there, you know she's comfortable enough to proceed.

4. Demonstrate for your child

Children learn by imitation, and watching you use the bathroom is a natural way to understand what using the toilet is all about. If you have a son, it's simpler to teach him to pee sitting down at this young age. Later, when he's mastered that, he can watch his dad, older brother, or friend pee standing up — he's bound to pick it up quickly with just a little encouragement.

When you demonstrate for your toddler, it's helpful to explain what's going on as you're using the bathroom and let her see afterward what you "made." Then show her how you wipe with toilet paper, pull up your underwear, flush the toilet, and wash your hands.

Even though you'll be helping your toddler with these activities for some time, especially wiping after a bowel movement, seeing you do it and hearing you talk through it will help her get used to the whole process. (When you wipe your toddler, make sure to go from front to back, especially after a bowel movement, to minimize the risk of urinary tract infections.)

If your toddler has older siblings or friends who are potty-trained, consider having them demonstrate, too. It can be helpful for your child to see others close to her age exhibiting the skills she's trying to learn.

5. Explain the process

Show your toddler the connection between pooping and the toilet. The next time she poops in her diaper, take her to the potty, sit her down, and empty the diaper beneath her into the bowl. Afterward, let her flush if she wants to (but don't force her if she's scared) so she can watch her diaper contents disappear.

You also may want to pick up a few potty-training picture books or videos for your toddler, which can assist her in taking in all this new information. Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi, is a perennial favorite, as well as Uh Oh! Gotta Go! and Once Upon a Potty, which even comes in a version with a doll and miniature potty.

Keeping a book like this in the bathroom, or a poster or flipbook that illustrates the steps in using the potty, can help your toddler get familiar with the process and relate it to what she does in the bathroom.

6. Foster the habit

Encourage your toddler to sit on the potty whenever she feels the urge to go. If she needs help getting there and taking off her diaper, make sure she knows it's okay to ask you for help any time.

If you can, let her run around bare-bottomed sometimes with the potty nearby. The more time she spends out of diapers, the faster she's likely to learn, although you'll have to steel yourself to clean up a few more puddles. Tell her she can use the potty whenever she wants to, and remind her occasionally that it's there if she needs it.

Sometimes toddlers won't sit on the potty long enough to relax and let anything come out. Calmly encourage your toddler to sit there for at least a minute or so. You'll have the best luck getting her to stay put if you keep her company and talk to her or read her a book.

When your toddler uses the potty successfully, shower her with praise. Chances are that she'll continue to have accidents, but she'll start to grasp that getting something in the potty is an accomplishment. Still, try not to make a big deal out of every trip to the potty, or your toddler may start to feel nervous and self-conscious under the glare of all that attention.

7. Grab some training pants

Once training is under way, consider adding training pants — extra-thick cloth or disposables that pull on like underwear — to your routine. They'll allow your toddler to undress for the potty on her own, which is a critical step toward becoming completely potty-trained.

While cloth training pants are less convenient than disposable pull-ups, many parents say they work better because your toddler can really feel when she pees or poops in them. Whichever option you choose, introduce them gradually — probably for a few hours at a time — and stick with diapers at night for the time being.

When your child consistently seeks out the potty whenever she has to go, it's time to move on to "big-kid" underwear. Many moms and dads have found that undies with a favorite character on them give kids a dandy incentive to stay dry.

8. Handle setbacks gracefully

Virtually every child will have several accidents before being able to stay dry all day long. When this happens, don't get angry or punish your child. After all, it's only recently that her muscle development has allowed her to hold her bladder and rectum closed at all, and she's still learning why it's important to use the potty. Mastering the process will take time.

What can you do? Reduce the chance of accidents by dressing your toddler in clothes that are easy to remove quickly. When she has an accident anyway, calmly clean it up and suggest (sweetly) that next time she try using her potty instead.

9. Introduce night training

Don't give away that stash of diapers just yet. Even when your child is consistently clean and dry all day, it may take several more months, or even years, for her to stay dry all night. At this age, her body is still too immature to wake her up in the middle of the night reliably just to go to the bathroom.

When you're ready to embark on night training, your toddler should continue to wear a diaper or pull-up to bed, but encourage her to use the potty if she has to pee or poop during the night. Tell her that if she wakes up in the middle of the night needing to go, she can call you for help. You can also try putting her potty near her bed so she can use it right there.

If she manages to stay dry for five nights in a row, it's a good time to start nighttime training in earnest. Put a plastic sheet under the cloth one to protect the mattress, and put your toddler to bed in underwear (or nothing) and see how it goes.

There's not much you can do to help things along, short of limiting liquids before bedtime, so if your toddler doesn't seem to get the hang of it, put her back in nighttime diapers and try again in a few months.

10. Jump for joy — you're done!

Believe it or not, when your child is mentally and physically ready to learn this new skill, she will. And if you wait until she's really ready to start, the process shouldn't be too painful for either of you.

When it's over, reinforce her pride in her achievement by letting her give away leftover diapers to a family with younger kids, or by packing up the cloth diapers and sending them away with the diaper delivery service one last time.

And don't forget to pat yourself on the back. Now you won't have to think about diapers ever again — at least, not until the next baby.

To my fellow bloggers and followers....i am now back, for good.....back to blogging. I have realized over the new year that I want to open up my blog to new topics, whatever that comes to mind. So, i am now writing my first blog of the year....The year of the Metal Rabbit 2011...

Many a toddler is known to shrink in fear at the sight of the haircutting scissors or shriek hysterically when held still for a snip. Parents who've faced down the problem share their best tips for cutting back on haircut trauma.

Ease the fear

"As a licensed hairstylist and mom of a 17-month-old, my advice is this: Don't call it a 'haircut'! Kids associate the word 'cut' with pain. Tell them they're getting a 'trim' instead." — Jen

"We used electric clippers for my daughter. It helped to have her favorite baby doll there, who has plastic hair, and to have them take turns. Seeing her baby doll's hair get 'cut' (we just put the clippers near her doll's head) helped her see there was nothing to be afraid of. Now she's almost 3 and tolerates haircuts just fine." — tla

"We play 'haircut' and use kitchen tongs instead of scissors. It gets our daughter used to hearing a noise and seeing something shiny bobbing around her head (we also drop shredded paper around her to imitate hair falling). Then when it's time for a real haircut while she sits on the kitchen floor it's not so traumatic. So far so good!" — Emma

"For my son's first few haircuts, we let him watch my husband get one first. I think seeing Daddy in the chair made him curious instead of scared. Then when it was his turn, I sat in the chair with my son on my lap. That seemed to work. He gets fidgety, but not upset." — kate

Go with the pros

"Ask around and see if there's a place in your area that caters specifically to kids. We have a place like that where we live — they have toys my son can play with while we're waiting to get his hair cut, a chair that's like a little car with a motor and horn, and DVD players at every station. My son gets so distracted by these things he hardly notices he's getting a haircut. He doesn't sit perfectly still, by any means, but it's nowhere near as horrible as it could be." — Leanne

"I take my 21-month-old to a children's salon. To keep him still and happy, I always take him right after a nap, when he's well-rested, and bring a sippy cup filled with formula. I ask the stylist to finish the haircut before the formula is gone. It works like a dream." — Louise

Get tricky

"My 19-month-old hates getting his hair cut, so I do it at home while he's sleeping. I do one side, then flip his head and do the other." — Anonymous

"My 18-month-old was a nightmare at the hairdresser's! He'd scream and run away and even swing at me and the stylist (luckily she was a friend). Finally, I asked our babysitter to take him. When she did, he was an angel! She's taken him back a few more times and now he gets excited when I tell him it's haircut day. He sits there the whole time, saying what a big boy he is, getting his hair cut and not crying!" — Anonymous

Sweeten the deal

"I found that Ring Pop lollipops work great! Your child won't choke since the candy is attached to the ring like a pacifier. My son is far too busy with his lollipop to notice what's being done to his hair. This is the only time we give him candy, so he loves getting his hair cut!" — Anonymous

"I've always cut my twins' hair myself. I usually try to put in a movie for them while I'm cutting, and tell them that if they do a good job sitting still they'll get a reward. I've found that stickers or a snack that they're only allowed to have on special occasions works very well." — twinniemom

Find a distraction

"My son was fine with his first two haircuts. I was very surprised when he freaked out the next time. We tried everything from having him watch my husband get a haircut to bribing him with bubbles and cookies. Nothing worked. Finally one day this summer I cut his hair while he was outside playing at the water table, which he loves. He was still a little annoyed, but it went much better. The lesson? Experiment. If your child is really into something (a certain toy, coloring, a video, a special food), try doing it then and see if it works." — Anonymous

"My friend who's a hairdresser gave me this tip that she uses with her own son: Give your child a haircut in the tub. It's easy to cut hair while it's wet, the hair falls into the water so it's easy to clean up, and your child is so distracted with playing that he doesn't even notice what you're doing. I tried it with my son and it's worked like a charm." — Betsie

Do it in waves

"I cut my son's hair in phases. First we fought the battle to get his bangs trimmed and called it a night. A few days later, while he was busy eating in his chair, I snuck up behind him and snipped off the sides. Later while he was distracted in the bath, I trimmed his curls in the back." — stinkdyr

Work it out with TLC

"My son, who's now 5, isn't easy to upset and normally takes things in stride, but he hated haircuts and I can see why: I'd told him over and over that scissors are dangerous and then I got out the scissors to cut his hair! It took patience and lots of reassurance to get him to see that haircuts aren't so bad. For a long time I had to cut his hair in stages to teach him how to cope. I think as parents we need to look at the world around us from our children's perspective and remember that they've only been here for a short time. There's so much for them to learn and it's easy to get overwhelmed." — Susan

Try tough love

"My son hates haircuts, too, but I just make him sit there until the job is done. He doesn't like it, but that's just too bad. He gets over it. And now he accepts haircuts because he knows they're going to happen regardless of his desires, and he's come to realize they're not so bad. I think sometimes we baby our kids too much and actually encourage tantrums in the way we respond to them." —Mike

Know when to get help

"If your child's reaction to haircuts seems over the top, consider the possibility that he has a problem processing sensory input. My 4-year-old screamed like a maniac during haircuts. Only after he was diagnosed with sensory integration dysfunction and treated with six months of occupational therapy did haircuts — and other things — become a little easier. Just a thought for when the typical techniques fail." — Kimmi

Here's the essential information every babysitter should have:

• Contact information for you and your partner — Home phone, work phone, and cell phone numbers (and pager number if you have one), as well as the number at the place you'll be (restaurant, friends' house, etc.). Tell your sitter not to open the door to anyone she's not expecting, and warn her if anyone will be stopping by or calling.

• Emergency contact information — This includes fire, police, doctor, and hospital numbers — for guidelines, see our helpful checklist. If your children have specific medical insurance numbers, provide those as well. It's also smart to designate one or two neighbors, friends, or relatives as local contacts. Leave their names, numbers, and addresses. That way your sitter has someone to turn to in case of miscellaneous mishaps, such as a pet that gets loose or a power outage. Also, leave clear written directions to your house so she can give them out to fire, police, or medical personnel in an emergency.

• A mapped escape route — In case of fire or some other crisis that requires hasty evacuation, your sitter should be aware of all the possible exits from your house. Also make sure she knows where to find the fire extinguisher, the first-aid kit, the circuit breaker, the water shutoff, and a flashlight.

• Medical information about your baby — If your child has any allergies or other medical conditions, or needs to take medication, tell your sitter about it in advance. Also inform her of any additional health problems — such as a bad case of diaper rash or a tendency to spit up food. Also, just in case you or your contact person can't be found in an emergency, leave a healthcare authorization form that allows your babysitter or childcare provider to get medical attention for your child.

• Food and drink list — Don't leave this to chance. Your sitter may not be aware of foods that pose choking hazards. Leave specific instructions outlining what your baby can and can't eat and drink. And if the sitter will be preparing formula or giving your baby expressed breast milk, make sure she knows how to do it.

• Activity schedule — Your baby will feel more comfortable sticking to his usual routine, so let your sitter know what time he eats his meals, what time he goes to bed, and how his bedtime routine works. (If you usually read to him from a particular book, for example, let her know that.) You may want to print out our daily baby activity sheet for your sitter to fill out -- that way you'll be able to see what and how much your baby ate while you were out, when he had a wet or dirty diaper, and so on. Finally, it's wise to let your sitter know about any special words for favorite toys or security objects.

How to tell if your preschooler is gifted

"Did you hear what he just said?" Many parents see every word their child utters or every squiggle he draws as evidence of his being gifted. Though most children aren't identified as gifted until they begin formal school, some show signs of being gifted at a very early age.

Gifted child Ben Hellerstein of Larchmont, N.Y., for instance, was actually reading nonfiction books and memorizing facts by the age of 4. His mother wishes she had realized that he was academically advanced at that time. "If I had," she says wistfully, "he could have gotten the help he needed in school earlier than he did, and his first year of school wouldn't have been so unhappy."

Signs of giftedness in a preschooler

Your 2- to 4-year-old may be gifted if he:

• Has a specific talent, such as artistic ability or an unusual facility for numbers. For example, children who draw unusually realistic pictures or who can manipulate numbers in their head may be gifted.

• Reaches developmental milestones well ahead of peers.

• Has advanced language development, such as an extensive vocabulary or the ability to speak in sentences much earlier than other children his age.

• Is relentlessly curious and never seems to stop asking questions.

• Is unusually active, though not hyperactive. While hyperactive children often have a short attention span, gifted children can concentrate on one task for long periods of time and are passionate about their interests.

• Has a vivid imagination. Gifted children often create a vast and intricate network of imaginary friends with whom they become very involved.

• Is able to memorize facts easily and can recall arcane information that he learns from television shows, movies, or books.

Other signs of giftedness may be a little harder to discern. By age 3 or 4, for example, some gifted children begin to realize that they are "different" from their peers. This can make them feel isolated and withdrawn; it may also make them likely targets for bullying.

They may begin to experience intense frustration because they can think more rapidly than they can express themselves, verbally or physically. If your child appears unusually angry or frustrated, you may want to consult a mental health professional.

Testing your preschooler for giftedness

Though you may want to know if your preschooler is gifted, most children don't need to be tested for giftedness before entering elementary school. However, consultations with a mental health professional may be appropriate if your preschooler appears to be unusually bored in school or shows any signs of emotional or social problems.

If your child is enrolled in preschool, speak to the teacher or school director to find out if the school is affiliated with any mental health professionals who specialize in working with gifted children. If your child is not in school or the school isn't being receptive to your concerns, ask your pediatrician to refer you to a child psychologist who conducts tests for giftedness. Keep in mind that that although private testing is often expensive (testing and follow-up consultation can run as high as $1,000), your insurance plan may cover the cost.

Children as young as 3 can be given IQ and ability tests, but experts believe that IQ test results obtained before the age of 5 are unstable — that is, if a child is retested, his scores can fluctuate significantly until this age. Years ago, children whose IQ scores were over 130 were considered gifted (the range for average intelligence is 85 to 115); today, however, IQ is one factor among many that need to be evaluated before a child is identified as gifted. Often parents and teachers will be asked to write their impressions of a child, and these subjective measures are considered along with test data.

When giftedness is hard to diagnose

You might be surprised to learn that a child can be both gifted and learning disabled. In most cases, the disability is recognized while giftedness goes undetected. Giftedness in children from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds, and in those for whom English is a second language, is often overlooked as well. If your child falls into any of these categories, it's best to find a psychologist who is sensitive to these issues. It is also important to ask your child's teacher to observe him and look for talents that conventional tests cannot detect.

To find other resources for parents of gifted children, visit NAGC's Web site.

After months in exile, due to a computer problem and time issues, i am now back.
I do apologize for my absence but I'm now back and ready to blog again.

The past few months, I've been trying to fix problems that I have (if you have read my other blogs), but results still are delayed. hmpf....

I do hope you'll read my blogs as I now continue what I have started months ago......


Thank you and Happy reading.

When will my baby start getting teeth?

The vast majority of babies sprout their first teeth when they're between 4 and 7 months of age. An early developer may get his first white cap as early as 3 months, while a late bloomer may have to wait until he's a year old or more. (In rare cases, a baby's first tooth is already visible at birth.) Whenever the first tooth makes its appearance, celebrate the milestone by taking pictures and noting the date in your child's baby book.

Teeth actually start developing while your baby's in the womb, when tooth buds form in the gums. Teeth break through one at a time over a period of months, and often — but not always — in this order: First the bottom two middle teeth, then the top two middle ones, then the ones along the sides and back. They may not all come in straight, but don't worry — they usually straighten out over time.

The last teeth to appear (the second molars, found in the very back of the mouth on the top and bottom) have usually begun coming into place by your baby's second birthday. By age 3, your child should have a full set of 20 baby teeth, which shouldn't fall out until his permanent teeth are ready to start coming in, around age 6.

What teething symptoms will my baby experience?

Experts disagree about whether teething actually causes symptoms — like fussiness, diarrhea, and fever — or whether these common symptoms are not related to teething at all and just coincidentally appear at the same time as emerging teeth. Regardless, many parents maintain that their teething babies do experience discomfort (though some babies get through the process with no problems at all). The symptoms most likely to trouble a teether include:

• Drooling (which can lead to a facial rash)
• Gum swelling and sensitivity
• Irritability or fussiness
• Biting behavior
• Refusing food
• Sleep problems

Though many parents report that their babies have loose stools, runny noses, or a fever just before a new tooth arrives, most experts don't think teething is to blame for these symptoms. One who does is William Sears, pediatrician and author of The Baby Book. Sears believes that teething can cause diarrhea and a mild diaper rash because your baby's excessive saliva ends up in his gut and loosens his stools. Inflammation in the gums, he thinks, may cause a low fever (under 101 degrees Fahrenheit).

On the other hand, child development experts such as Penelope Leach assert that teething cannot cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or loss of appetite and that these are signs of illness that should be checked out. Noted pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton says such symptoms are probably due to an infection unrelated to teething, but that the stress associated with teething could make your child more vulnerable to infection right before a new tooth appears.

The one thing experts agree on is that you should call your child's doctor if your baby has symptoms that worry you or a rectal temperature of 101 degrees F or higher (100.4 degrees F or higher for babies younger than 3 months). The doctor can help determine whether your baby is showing signs of a problem that needs medical attention, like an ear infection. If your baby has loose stools — but not diarrhea — don't worry. The condition will clear up on its own.

What can I do to ease my baby's discomfort?

Give your child something to chew on, such as a firm rubber teething ring or a cold washcloth. If your baby is old enough to eat solids, he may also get some relief from cold foods such as applesauce or yogurt. Giving him a hard, unsweetened teething cracker such as zwieback to gnaw on is another time-honored trick. (Avoid carrots, as they can be a choking hazard.) Simply rubbing a clean finger gently but firmly over your baby's sore gums can ease the pain temporarily, too.

If these methods aren't working, some doctors recommend giving a teething baby a small dose of children's pain reliever such as infants' acetaminophen — but check with your doctor before giving your baby any medication. (Never give your baby aspirin or even rub it on his gums to ease the pain. The use of aspirin in children is associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.)

Rubbing the gums with topical pain relief gel is also an option, but you may want to ask your baby's doctor before trying it. If you use too much, it can numb the back of your baby's throat and weaken his gag reflex (which helps prevent him from choking on his saliva). The gels are generally safe to use, but in rare cases can cause an allergic reaction.

If drool causes a rash on your baby's face, wipe, but don't rub, the drool away with a soft cotton cloth. You can also smooth petroleum jelly on his chin before a nap or bedtime to protect the skin from further irritation.