Tales from the Tub

Here is what I learned today while soaking in the tub and reading "Today's Parent"

- it's recommended to medicate your child before taking them to the ER. Apparently medical professionals don't need living proof of a fever.

- kids will remember the time you take to play with them, not how clean your floors are

- if you save $50 every 2 weeks for 50 years you will have $35,600 assuming you earn 3% annual interest

- kids in home-based daycares watch 2 more hours of TV daily than kids in structured daycares. 2.4 hours vs 0.4 hrs a day! Trying to minimize screen time for the Boy, who eats, lives, breathes, and dreams Mighty Machines is one of my current battles.

- Poop tested from colicky babies showed double the inflammation as compared to non-colicky babies, similar to adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome! I say bring on the Acidophillus.

- there is such a thing as a "sleep doula"

- lots of kids don't sleep through the night. different techniques work for different parents and different kids.

- some people think sleep patterns are partly personality. some people have also come to the conclusion that infant and toddlerhood are fleeting and that instead of spending time feeling guilty and resentful about night wakings a conscious decision to enjoy that time with your child makes all the difference in the world. "I spent moths agonizing over how to help my child learn to sleep when I could have been enjoying the hours of cuddling," one Mama says.

- most girls 11-13 want more involvement from their Daddy

- only half of all boys are potty trained by age 3

So there you have it. It's an educational experience.