Cooking Without an Oven

I just published a new Hub on HubPages called How to Cook Without an Oven for people like me who have small kitchens and no oven or stove.  I learned that I can cook all kinds of easy meals in my electric skillet and crock pot. I make chili, pizza, cornbread, stir-fry, ramen noodles and more. I have added a hot plate burner, toaster oven, waffle iron and microwave but still use these two tools most often for meals.

I found that baking in the toaster oven doesn't work too well.  I tried making some cupcakes in a muffin tin that just didn't cook all the way through. I prefer to do my baking in the electric skillet because it cooks more evenly. Biscuits and cornbread cooks well in it without leaving raw spots. I can even bake a cake in it if I line the bottom with foil first, this makes getting it out of the pan a lot easier.

I will be posting more easy cooking without an oven recipes in the future. I think that most parents would like something that's easy to make and doesn't take a long time to cook. For casseroles and meat, if you put them in the slow cooker and set it on low it will cook while you are at work and be done by the time you come home. It makes a better alternative to take-out meals, it's inexpensive and can be prepped the night before. Then in the morning just set it and forget it.

YouTube has a lot of instructional videos listed under Crock Pot Recipes if you don't cook much in yours but would like to. Stay tuned for more recipes and parenting/lifestyle posts.

Leave me a comment  below, I'd love to hear from you. You can share recipes or suggestions.

Implementing Positive Discipline Methods

What is Positive Discipline?

Positive Discipline is a set of guidelines and techniques to use as an alternative to spanking and punitive punishments.When your little one starts misbehaving or acting out, you can use one of these tools instead of spanking them. If you're used to giving multiple warnings, counting 1-2-3 or nagging them until they comply, this may be a little tough to follow at first.

Positive Discipline is one of the 8 Tenents of Attachment Parenting. Disciplining or teaching your child what you expect from them through house rules, responsibility by letting them help you with chores and tasks, fostering independence, respectfulness through modeling proper behavior and social skills through play and family bonding. Instead of constantly telling them, "don't do this-don't do that", you're teaching them what you want them to do by example.

When I first read about attachment parenting on Dr. William Sear's website "Ask Dr. Sears," I though, "wow, this really makes a lot of sense." Dr. Sears promotes extended breastfeeding, safe co-sleeping and wearing your baby in a sling. All of this appealed to me as I was getting ready to deliver my son. I liked the idea of continuing breastfeeding  and had planned to until the age of 2 yrs, which is what the World Health Organization now recommends. Unfortunately, I couldn't continue because my son decided to self-wean at a year old.

To be good at positive discipline, you need to understand a little about child behavior and development. Why your child is behaving in an undesirable manner. As parents, we forget that our kids have only been on this earth for 2-3-or 4 yrs and aren't miniature adults. They are not born knowing how to behave in social situations and when they bite another child, or throw a tantrum in the grocery store, you may be tempted to never take them out in public again.

The biggest factor here in child behavior is imitation. Children imitate what they see and hear. Don't believe it? Listen to them sometimes and you'll be shocked to hear your words coming out of their mouths. If you think your kids don't listen you're wrong. They listen but choose to ignore. If your child has started yelling and being loud, being disrespectful, not sharing toys or fighting with playmates and this was previously not an issue- take a look at your own behavior over the past few weeks or months. Have you started yelling at them because they don't listen? Get angry driving in traffic and make references to the other drivers with your kids in the car?  Is it really misbehavior, or are they modeling your own behavior back to you? This is a good question.

From your previous discipline attempts, is it easier to get your kids compliance by asking them to help you instead of insisting they do this or that? The old saying, "You get more flies with honey than with vinegar" is still true. If you ask someone politely to do something, it is usually more effective than yelling. I have found it's easier to get my son to pick up his toys if I start and ask him for his help picking up the toys. He'll say, "Sure" and starts picking up his toys. If I had sais, "Aiden I need you to pick up your toys and put them away" and then left the room or shouted it from the kitchen, I would most likely be ignored.

I have made the decision not to spank my son anymore. Even though I only did it for a short time, I can see that it did not help him to behave better.  It just made him more defiant and disrespectful towards me. I now have to undo the damage I have done  and try to repair our parent-child bond. It means I will have to get a little creative sometimes when he doesn't want to do something I ask him. We have already started by using house rules, giving him responsibility with chores, giving choices when possible and stating expectations and limits ahead of time. This article I read on CNN.com suggests that spanking may affect kid's brains and their ability to develop self-control later on.

I got this book from amazon that I have started reading called Positive Discipline A-Z 1001 Solutions to Everyday Parenting Problems by Jane Nelson. I had seen her in an interview on a talk show and, at first, though it was all a bunch of baloney. I couldn't see how you could raise kids without punishing them in some way.  She talked about not saying "no" and that time-outs were negative consequences and she disagreed with punishments. After I starting reading the book and discovered that a lot of what she says makes sense. When your child misbehaves, instead of getting mad and doling out consequences, try and find out what is the driving force behind the behavior. If you eliminate the cause, often the behavior will go away on its own. Children seldom do things for no reason at all, although it may seem like it sometimes. If they bite or hit another child during play dates, what was going on just before the incident? Were they fighting over a toy or object? Maybe they just weren't getting along. Sometimes kids just don't want to share favorite toys and that's OK. Tell them you'll put up their favorite things when company comes over. they can pick and choose which toys to share and which ones to keep out.

Establish a Routine and House Rules

Our routine is pretty simple. Aiden attends preschool during the week from 8 am to 11 am. We live with two of his older nephews (Aiden has 3 adult siblings with children) who are 5 and 9 who also go to school with him. So mornings go pretty easy. The troubles come after school. We implemented the house rules to keep from nagging the kids about jumping on the furniture, fighting over toys and taking others property without asking. We have consequences for breaking the rules, but try to find solutions first and use consequences as a last resort. Although I like the idea of not having to use punishments, I reserve them for those times when he decides to test the boundaries. If he is going to be defiant and say, "No, I won't" and explaining the reason doesn't work, then I have to back it up with something.

Set Clear Expectations
It is a theory that if you expect your children to obey in certain circumstances that they will. It is not always true, but if you set boundaries and tell them what is expected early on, you may have better success. One thing I have found works pretty well is to explain what you want them to do just before an outing. If we are going to the store, I'll tell Aiden that I expect him to stay in the cart, use his indoor voice, and help me find items that we need. If he is successful and we get through our shopping without problems, he can pick out a snack for everyone when we are done. Engaging them in the process helps a lot too. Ask them to help you find the apples, or other item. This is another form of re-direction, it moves their train of thought to something else. Aiden loves to help, so this is a good tactic for him. If he doesn't meet expectations such as throwing a tantrum, screaming or won't stay in the cart then I can choose to leave the store and tell him that we can try again tomorrow.

Give Choices 

Giving choices is helpful with child behavior problems because it empowers kids when everything else around them is out of their control. I have seen this work with my son who constantly begs me for treats or more juice, soda or ? I gave him a snack, as is our morning routine around 10 am. He wanted more graham crackers and decided to throw a tantrum when I said no. He would throw himself on the floor and start kicking his legs on the floor or on the furniture. As I sat there trying to think of a consequence, I decided to let him choose. I told him he could have a boiled egg or a pickle slice but no more graham crackers because we needed them for snack time after school. He didn't like that idea and said no. I told him, "Okay, you can have another handful of graham crackers now, but that means later when the other kids are having their snack, he won't get a snack. His response was, " I want the pickle." I explained why and gave him a limited choice and it worked. Otherwise, it would have turned into a power struggle and ended with him in his room for time-out and lectures about his behavior.

This is all still new to me and I am learning as I go. I will try to use more techniques from the book and see how they work. I am happy with my decision not to spank anymore, I do still use consequences but will try to use them less or only when necessary.

I will do a follow up with the book when I have finished it and write a review and post it. If you'd like to read the book, check it out, it's available on Amazon for around $12 I think.

I would like to know what other parents think and how you discipline your kids. What works for you and what doesn't. Please leave a comment and tell me how you have had success in your parenting journey.

Disciplining Your Preschooler: What Method is Best?

What Method of Child Discipline Should You Use with a Preschooler?


What method of child discipline do you use in your home? As parents, we want to teach our children to be respectful, charitable and responsible members of society. How do you teach your children the proper way to behave and interact with others? I have been thinking about this issue a lot lately as Aiden has gotten older and his behavior has changed from the sweet little boy he was when he was two. It has made me re-evaluate my own ideas on parenting and how I am going to raise him to be a responsible, respectful adult.

To Spank, or not....

Child discipline is a topic that a lot of people are very opinionated about. Some spank, some some don't and others are unsure what to do. Many of us came from parents who spanked us, and we turned out okay, right? Yes, but in this day and age, it may not be the best way to discipline children. We have seen a lot of evidence that child abuse is a very real issue and teaching children that violence is not the answer when we smack their behinds it's a contradiction, don't you think?  How can you say to your child, "I'm going to spank you to teach you not to hit your little sister." What are they going to learn from that? How much of a child's behavior is naughtiness, and how much is simply his developmental stages?


The Old Ways

We spanked our other children we they were little, but I always hated it and felt like a failure as a parent. When Aiden came along, I decided I would do things differently with him. I breastfed him for almost a year ( something I wasn't able to do with his siblings) , wore him in a sling and we co-sleep even now.

He has been with me since he was a tiny baby. I would say my parental bond with him is pretty strong, but I think that mistakes I've made through thoughtlessness have weakened that bond a little. I have to admit that at times I have yelled at him and spanked him when frustrated with his unruly behavior. Which is common for parents, we hit that wall where you just can't take it anymore and they have pushed the limits as far as they can go.

I recently read a post by a father about why he stopped spanking his son, and I can identify with him completely. If you'd like to read the post, it is on the Intoxicated on Life blog and is very educational for those who might be interested. What hit home with me was, the fact that when we "lose it" with our kids, we become someone that even we don't like. An angry, yelling, red-faced person who tells them they're bad for doing this and swats them for every small infraction because that's what we think we're supposed to do to have well-behaved children.

Trade places with that child for a moment and imagine someone you love ( your parent or a spouse even) behaving that way towards you. How would you react? Would you love and respect that person and understand that they're trying to teach you to behave better, or would you just obey out of fear of what might happen next? I don't want to be feared as a parent. I want my child to obey because he knows it is the right thing to do because I took the time to teach him proper behavior.

Choosing Not to Spank

Choosing not to spank your child is not the same thing as being permissive. Not spanking does not mean no discipline at all. The word discipline means "to teach" so in promoting discipline in a positive way, you're teaching your child better behavior by modeling good behavior yourself. When you make the choice not to spank you will have all kinds of people telling you you're going to spoil them and have a little brat. But there is evidence to support the fact that when you treat children with respect and spend time with them creating that family bond, that as a result you will get respect back and better behavior because your child is happy.

Positive Discipline Methods

I used positive discipline techniques with my son when he was little and it worked like a charm. Until he was about 3 yrs. old and his behavior became more challenging. I was told by other people to just spank his butt and be done with it. I did spank him a few times but it didn't change his behavior, in fact, it made the problem worse. When he turned 4 he started yelling all the time, repeating me and others, and had a hard time listening or paying attention when I talked to him. He even fought me on time-outs, I would have to chase him and hold him in the chair for him to stay put. Now he bites other kids, hits and says mean things like " I hate you, you're stupid."

It was somewhat easy for me to look at positive discipline techniques like time-outs, natural &logical consequences and rewards charts as good alternatives to spanking kids. But was this the best method? This is already a long post, so I will continue this in the next post.

Electric Skillet Pizza

Looking for easy electric skillet meals? Want to impress your spouse with pizza made from scratch? Try this easy, electric skillet pizza that won't heat up your kitchen and tastes just as good as takeout pizza.

I have a small kitchen that gets hot in the summer, so this dish is easy to prepare and cooks in 12-15 minutes. For a quick, easy meal add a side salad and some fruit for dessert. The recipe makes 2- 12 inch square pizzas  (9 small squares each pie), so you should have enough leftover for lunch the next day or freeze for later.

I have been reading some new blogs lately and have really been inspired to create some fun, budget-friendly meals. I am raising my son on a budget and am always on the lookout for ways to save and earn extra money. Making some of our meals from scratch is one way to save money by not spending more for box mixes or takeout.

I can't take credit for the pizza dough recipe because it is not mine. I used a recipe from Food Network credited to Chef Bobby Flay. It is a good recipe but I improved it just a little. I used self-rising flour in place of all-purpose and used milk instead of water. It makes the crust soft and chewy like bread and rises really well. If you have little ones that leave the crusts because they're too hard, you won't have that problem with this dough. It rises really high and it's super filling, so two pieces with a little salad is a perfect serving size for adults and one for kids. Here is my easy electric skillet pizza recipe.

Pizza Dough Recipe (courtesy of Food Network)

3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups warm, fresh or powdered milk 110 degrees
1 packet yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbs oil

Heat milk to 110 degrees. You can test with a finger and it will be just barely hot. I use whole fat powdered milk and just run the tap until the water is hot enough and add the milk. Add sugar and yeast, stir together and let sit for 1 minute. The yeast will puff up and sit on top of the milk.

In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt and oil. Add milk and stir to incorporate flour. When you can stir the dough into a ball, add enough flour to make it workable. When mixed, work the dough into a ball and rub with oil. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Separate into two balls and set aside.

Pizza Toppings

1 jar prepared pizza sauce
Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp sugar
1 package pepperoni
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
vegetables of your choice ( black olives, green onions, sliced peppers, etc.)

Roll the dough out onto waxed paper and form into a square shape. Add some oil to the skillet (cold) and work around the bottom and up the sides. Lay your dough into the bottom of the skillet and stretch to the edges. Add 3 tbs of pizza sauce, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and a dash of sugar to the middle of your dough. stir slightly and spread over the dough. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the dough and place pepperoni on top. Turn on the skillet and set heat to 300 to 325 degrees. Top with a piece of tin foil and set the timer for 15 minutes. While the skillet pizza cooks you can make your salad or whatever side dish you like.

This is really an easy-to-make meal and my little boy loves the fact that he can have pizza anytime he wants. I like not having to go for takeout and the costs that come with it. This is an inexpensive recipe that you can make anytime. To save time you can make the dough the night before and wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the skillet pizza. For those moms who work, if you prep it the night before it only takes 30 minutes to put together and cook when you come home from work. It's a nice way to serve your family healthy meals from scratch even though you work.

I'd like to hear how you liked this recipe. Try it out and let me know what you think, or if you have any substitutions you added that made it better for you. There's always something we can learn from each other.

I make electric skillet meals all the time and am always looking for new recipes to add to my collection. If you have any you'd like to share, please leave them in the comments section.

On Potty Training and Pull Ups

Have you decided it’s time to start potty training your child?  This is a stage in your child’s life and should be undertaken with care and understanding.  Most children between the ages of 2 and 4 start using the toilet either on their own or with some encouragement from mom and dad.  You should be aware, however, that although they will use the toilet sometimes it is perfectly normal for them to still have accidents up until they are four or five years old. Here are some potty training tips and things to remember when starting on this new adventure.

All children are different and do things at their own pace. Some children just aren’t ready to potty train at the same age as other children. We all know someone who swears that their child was potty trained by 1 ½ to 2 years of age. This may be ideal for some parents, but not all children are ready at this age.  Most children are incapable of holding their bladder until they are at least 3 years of age. They will go in the potty if you take them in time, but they could not hold it on their own if there was no restroom near by.

My Own Potty Training Story

My little boy turns 3 years old in January and has already started potty training. We started him earlier, and he did really well, but a few setbacks caused him to stop using the toilet entirely. I was OK with him continuing to use his diapers because I have raised 3 other children, and I know that this is normal for his age and development.

I used cloth diapers with him because I loved the cute styles of pocket diapers and didn’t like spending so much money on disposable diapers. I had planned to keep using them until he was potty trained but as he grew older and bigger, his bladder capacity was larger too. He would wet right through the pocket diapers getting the couch, his clothes and anything else nearby all wet.  I decided it was going to have to be pull ups or nothing because the cloth diapers just weren’t cutting it anymore.

Potty Training Basics:

• Let them go naked
• Put them on the potty chair or  the toilet every 30 minutes to an hour
• Save diapers for overnight use
• Give them plenty of liquids to encourage them to go
• Get a potty chair or potty seat
• Lots of praise and encouragement (it really works)

The first thing we did when we started getting him to start using the toilet was letting him run around naked. This is one technique that is advocated in the book “Potty Train in Three Days” as well as other similar titles. It works because you can watch them more closely for signs that they may need to go, and they are more conscious of the fact that they are not wearing a diaper so sometimes it is easier getting them to the toilet.

Although you may be worried that your child will have an accident (and they will the first few times) this method works to start them using the toilet. Put diapers or pull ups on for overnights because it will be a while before they are able to stay dry all night on their own.

Take them to the potty often during the day and right before bed. Little ones like to use the potty excuse as a way to stay up a little later, but it is good to let them go if you think there is the slightest chance that they will go.

Measure your success by how often your child uses the potty and how long your diapers or pull ups last. We started at a rate of one box of 72 count pull ups lasting one week (we have two children potty training) to them now lasting two weeks and the boys’ beds are staying drier.  I have not had to change his bedding in the middle of the night for some time now. Never compare your child’s progress to another’s because they may be in different developmental stages, and not all kids are ready at the same time.

Buying Cloth Diapers on a Budget

Looking for cheap cloth diaper options?

If you are looking for a cheap way to start cloth diapering you've come to the right place. I was broke and had no money to spend on cloth diapers but found the cheapest method of purchasing diapers that will work for anyone. It is definitely worth switching to cloth, you save so much money not buying disposables. And your trash won't stink from diapers so the person picking up your cans every week will be grateful for that. I use these diapers for two toddlers and have saved a lot of money over buying diapers and pull ups.  Here is a detailed account of how I accomplished it....

When I started cloth diapering I was broke and literally had no money for diapers. I loved the cute bumGenius and Thirsty's pocket diapers, but couldn't afford $20 a piece for them. My first diapers cost me all of $22. I had 4 prefold cloth diapers and 2 covers that I used along with my disposables until I could add to the collection a few diapers at a time.There are lots of good cheap cloth diaper options for moms who are on a tight budget like me.If you want to switch to cloth diapers, but think you can't afford it, think again. I'll show you how to build a diaper stash for any budget.

Building up a Diaper Stash

.....the economical way to buy cloth diapers

The first thing to consider when buying cloth diapers is what kind of diapers you want to use on your baby. The cheapest options for parents on a tight budget like I was are pocket diapers and prefold cloth diapers with covers. For an infant you will need 3-4 dozen diapers and can expect to wash about every other day. For toddlers you will need about 2 to 3 dozen size 2 diapers and will wash every other day as well. This will be your stash of diapers and can be made up of all pocket diapers, pockets plus prefolds or just prefolds and covers. It's up to you, you can use any combination you wish. We'll look at each option and their pros and cons.  

There is no right or wrong way to buy cloth diapers. You can buy a dozen or so at a time or just a few, whatever your budget allows. A little here and there works just as well. Buy what you can afford at the time and add to it each payday. Eventually, you will have a nice little stash built up and can stop buying diapers. They can be saved and used for a 2nd or 3rd child.

Pocket Cloth Diapers

Pocket diapers are made with a waterproof outer layer and a soft absorbent fleece layer on the inside to keep your baby's skin dryer. There is an opening in the back to stuff a microfiber insert or small prefold. When stuffed, the diaper is very easy to use. Just lay baby on the diaper and fold and secure the diaper using the aplix tabs or snaps, whichever your diaper has. When soiled just remove the insert and place both pieces in your diaper pail or straight into the washing machine. The cost for pocket diapers are between $10 and $18 for most budget brands. Kawaii diapers run between $10 and $12 and come in size 2's for older babies and toddlers. 

"Cheapest Diapering Option"

When you have little to no money for diapers...

Prefold diapers used with a snappi and a waterproof cover are one of the best options for saving money when cloth diapering your baby. The diapers are made from unbleached cotton and are super thick. Each prefold is sized to fit your baby, be sure to check the size you want. They come in preemie, infant, regular and toddler sizes ranging from $1 to $2 each. Just buy the amount you can afford each payday until you have two to three dozen diapers. Pair with a waterproof cloth diaper cover for a leak-free diaper that is frugal and eco-friendly. They are very easy to launder as well. Just wash and hang or tumble dry. Do not put covers in the dryer though, shake them out and hang them up to dry.

Econobum Cloth Diaper Starter Kit

Econobum is made by bumGenius and is a lower cost option for cloth diapering. The Econobum cloth diapers are thick, diaper service quality cloth prefolds. They fit perfect inside the waterproof covers for an economic diapering option. When I started my collection I couldn't afford the starter box so I bought the trial kit which is two diapers and a cover. I bought two of them which gave me 4 diapers and 2 covers. This was the start of my diaper stash.


I use these diapers every day and can tell you that they are good quality and recommend them as an affordable brand of cloth diapers.This starter kit has everything you need to start using cloth diapers. It includes 12 cotton prefolds, 3 waterproof covers and a wet bag. Econobum is a product of Bum Genious in the economy line of products. The quality of the diapers is the same as diaper service brands, and they hold up very well.
A very economical way to get your stash quickly would be to purchase two of these kits which would give you 2 dozen prefolds, 6 covers and 2 wet bags for under $100 with free shipping and a featured freebie.

Build a Diaper Stash for Under $100.00

(this will work for any budget)

So If you want to build up a cloth diaper stash but have little money, here's what you do:

Here is how I built my stash for around $100. I wanted to start cloth diapering but could not afford the prices of a new diaper stash. I decided to find the cheapest diapering options I could and use a combination of them to fill my stash.

1. I bought two Econobum trial sets for $22. That is 2 diapers and 2 covers, I tried them out and decided that I could do this everyday. So I started watching diaper shops for clearance sales and bought a few covers and a half dozen cotton prefolds. The covers were seconds, but I didn't notice any flaws in them. I paid $4 each for the covers at clearance, normally they are $8.99 for Econobum cloth diaper covers.The prefolds were $2 each because I needed a size two for toddlers. 

2. The next payday I bought 12 cotton prefolds at $2 each and two more covers at regular price. I spent around $30-$40. I now had a few more diapers to use and was getting the hang of diapering and washing the diapers. I had to wash everyday with just a few diapers, but I knew it wouldn't be for long.

3. I started watching eBay for diaper sales and discovered someone selling cheap pocket diapers from China. The shipping was free so I figured I didn't have much to lose if I didn'tlike them. I bought 5 Babyland pocket diapers at $.99 cents to $4 each. I waited until the last 5 minutes of each auction to make sure I was the last bidder. I got the diapers two weeks later and was a little disappointed because they were small. There was no sizing option despite being called one-size diapers. They fit very snug on my toddler but it gave me a chance to try them out.

4. I discovered Kawaii diapers after reading some good reviews from an AP parenting forum. I found good prices on Kawaii heavy wetter one-size diapers at Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique. I paid $10 each for 3 large, size two pocket diapers. Each one comes with 2 large microfiber inserts and I got free shipping. These fit much better and were more absorbent than the Babyland diapers. I also received my order very quickly, in fact,it shipped the same day I ordered it.

5. The following payday I bought another 12 prefolds and two more covers to add to my growing collection of diapers.  I now had 2 dozen prefolds, 8 pocket diapers and 6 covers. I was able to start washing every other day and have been cloth diapering now for 4 months and continue to add to my stash a little every payday. 

To follow these steps, just decide how much you can afford each week or each month depending on your budget. Watch for sales and just buy what you can afford. Many of the diaper shops offer reward points that can be redeemed for gift certificates when your account reaches $10 or more. This means free diapers or other baby stuff if you save up your points.

Now you see how this method will work for any budget. If you have sewing skills you can also make your own prefolds from old t-shirts and pocket diapers from fleece sweatshirts. There are many sites on the web that offer how-to instructions for making your own. 

Keeping Little Ones Cool in the Summer

Summers are a great time for swimming and outdoor fun, but remember to keep little ones hydrated and use plenty of sunblock when they will be out for any length of time. There are a lot of good sun protection products for babies to help keep their delicate skin from getting burnt. With all the products on the market these days  it is hard to know what type of sunscreen is best for children, but this article posted on Baby Center may help you when it comes to choosing sunblock for your child.

When you live in the desert like we do staying hydrated is very important. The past few days it has been in the low 100s here in Las Vegas and staying cool has taken top priority. We run fans, the air conditioner and keep our windows covered during the hottest part of the day. The kids want to go out and play, but we restrict them to going out in the afternoon when it is a little cooler. We try and keep them in between the hours of 10am and 2pm if at all possible. When we have to run errands with them we always try to keep plenty of water and juice on hand and keep them in the shade during the hot time of the day.

Here are a few tips to beat the heat and stay cool in summer:

1. Keep a jug of water in the refrigerator for a cold drink. Kids and adults need water to stay hydrated when the temperatures rise. Restrict sweetened beverages like ice tea, juice and soda to meals because drinking sugary drinks does not help in the heat.

2. Drag out the kid’s wading pool or turn on the sprinkler. A quick way to cool down is to fill up the pool or bathtub with cool water and let the little ones splash around. We just recently bought the kids a new pool and it is big enough that the adults can sit in it after the kids have gone to bed on those nights that it stays hot later. A sprinkler is also good for cooling down and keeping the lawn watered at the same time.

3. Place fans in different rooms facing the windows. If you want to stay cool but don’t want to run the A/C too much put a box fan in one of the windows in the front of the house and one in a window in the back to create a cross breeze and draw cooler air into the house when the sun goes down.

4. Dunk your head under the sink. A quick way to cool off when it’s hot is to get your hair wet. I take Aiden in the stroller when I go the grocery store which is right down the street and to keep him cool, I’ll wet both my hands and run them through his hair and over his face, then when the air hits him it’s like being in front of the air conditioner.

I’m a green mama and we walk just about everywhere, so keeping the kids cool and protected from the sun is a top priority.

My New Parenting Resolutions for 2013

I have implemented my new parenting resolutions and am off to a great start.  I know this is late, but I wanted to post it anyway. Instead of the usual New Year's Resolutions to quit smoking, quit drinking or lose weight I have decided to become a better parent. I always believed that there was a better method of disciplining children besides spanking and now the experts have proved me right. An article written by pediatrician and baby care expert  Dr.William Sears outlines "10 Reasons Not to Hit Your Child." There has been a lot of discussion on this topic in the forums and chat rooms lately.

I admit that with my other children I did use spanking as a method of discipline but decided that I would make better choices with my youngest child. Aiden is two years old now and of course he is doing everything that other toddlers do including climbing on the furniture, touching forbidden objects and chasing the puppy. The terrible two's are trying times for any parent but may be especially trying for parents attempting to introduce new discipline techniques. I want to try using positive discipline techniques to teach and reinforce good behavior and punish less often.

I made the decision not to spank when Aiden was born and followed the principles of AP parenting. We breastfed until he was 10 months old and he weaned himself, we co-slept with a side car sleeper and I wore him in a sling as often as I could to form that nurturing bond. I got this portable sleeper,The First Years Close and Secure Sleeper as a gift and I loved it, until he got too big for it. It is a very safe way to sleep with your baby. No worries about rolling over on the baby, he has his own little bed that can lay right on your bed beside you or in the middle. Dr. Sears also advocates using a side by side sleeper for safe co-sleeping and I agree.

Co-sleeping worked very well for us and we were both able to get sleep and have fewer restless nights. Aidan actually slept more peacefully when he slept with me. As he got older and outgrew the sleeper bed, he would snuggle up right next to mommy and fall asleep.

Now that he is a toddler, we are dealing with biting and hitting issues. Not because we hit him but because he was hit by another child of the same age, so he hits back when the other child takes his toys. We are trying to teach him that biting hurts by getting him to remember being bit and hit by someone else and how it isn't nice to treat your playmates that way. I want him to learn that

Here is a post with suggestions for gentle discipline techniques. I plan to use these and other helpful techniques or tips for disciplining with love and teaching proper behavior rather than punishing bad behavior. I live with 4 children age 2-6 and think that they will all benefit from these techniques as well. The 6 year old has ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. Punishing his bad behavior just seems to make it worse, we are trying to encourage him to have good behavior by expecting it and telling him what a good job he is doing in school.

My parenting resolutions are to:

• Choose alternative consequences
• Use positive discipline techniques
• View misbehavior as an opportunity to teach, rather than scold
• Spend more time having fun with my child
• Have more patience
• Give him a voice and tell him why certain behaviors aren't acceptable

So these are my parenting resolutions for 2013. Any other parents with experience in raising toddlers with AP or gentle discipline techniques, I would love to hear about how you tackled these issues and the results that came out of it. You can leave a comment or send me a message.


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Holiday Shopping

I am vowing to get an early start on my holiday shopping this year. In years past, I had to wait until the week before Christmas because that was pay day. This year I promised myself I would start early and take advantage of online sales and discounts since I never shopped online in the past.

I have been looking for places to get Aiden's Christmas gifts and since I am an affiliate with some children's programs, I have access to coupon codes for discounts from PBS Kid's Shop, The Land of Nod, and the Corner Stork. I also have codes from e.l.f, Ulta and Stila cosmetics if anyone is interested.

Black Friday, November 23-November 25th you will get 20 percent off purchases at PBS Kid's Shop by clicking the link and entering the promo code BLACK20 at checkout. Black Friday - 20% Off at PBS KIDS Shop!

Thanksgiving Pie recipes-Old favorites

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I am digging out my recipe box to get ready. If you will be making pies like me, here is some information and a few good recipes for the Top 5 most popular holiday pies. We love pumpkin and apple in our house, but we welcome new flavors as well. What kind of holiday pies will you be making.Comment back and let me know what your favorite holiday pies are.


I just published this lens on Squidoo for Thanksgiving Pie recipes. There are some old favorites and links to some new ones.

http://www.squidoo.com/5-thanksgiving-pie-recipes-youll-love

Top 5 Best Baby Bouncer Reviews

I am adding some of my reviews on baby products to my blog. Here is one of my squidoo lenses covering my sons favorite bouncer.

Baby bouncers are great learning toys that supply hours of fun and enjoyment. Baby can play with toys that turn and spin and exercise their legs while bouncing on a springy pad. My son (pictured left in his) loved this bouncer and didn't want to give it up even after he had grown too big for it. He used this bouncer up until he turned a year old and got to where he could lean over the side, we had to put it away for safety. We bought it when he was 4 months old and he loved it. All the bright colors and toys to play with. His favorite is the frog spinner. Read more.....Top 5 Best Baby Bouncer Reviews

Being a WAHM

**Update**

It's been a while since I was able to post anything on my blogs. I have been busy trying to get some new writing clients to be able to continue being a WAHM. I made the decision to not go back to the regular tedium of the 9-5 world when Aiden was born. I worked while all 3 of my other children were growing up and felt like I missed so much of their childhood.

When Aiden came along, I decided I would find a way to earn an income from home so I could be with him to nurture him and watch him grow. I was lucky enough to find a few decent content mills to earn a regular paycheck from.

My Squidoo lenses have started to earn some residual income from ad revenue and from a few Amazon sales. So I decided to devote more time to my lenses and try to increase my affiliate sales. I signed up with a few programs through Commission Junction for kids and babies.

One site I love is Corner Stork baby Gifts, it almost makes me wish Aiden was still a tiny baby....I am an affiliate of the site so I make a commision on purchases made through my blog, but I make it a policy not to promote any site I would not personally buy from. They have some great gifts for moms-to-be and for baby showers. You can check them out here...Shop Baby Gifts Under $25

Free Baby Sling Carrier

Are you looking for a baby sling at a great price? Seven Slings is offering a great gift for parents, a free baby sling carrier valued at $39. All you have to do is visit the website here and use the promo code"free" to get the price of the carrier reduced to"0". All you pay is shipping and handling! This is a great way to try out a sling for almost no investment.


Get a free Seven™ brand baby carrier (Reg. $39) when you use promo code “Free”! *While supplies last! SevenSlings.com

What You Should Know About Lactose Intolerance in Children

It is estimated that 60% of the population is lactose intolerant. What does this mean, you ask? Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and other dairy products. It contributes to the carbohydrate requirements for a baby’s brain development. Oddly enough, many babies and older children are unable to digest the lactose resulting in gas, colic, bouts of diarrhea and occasional vomiting.

 It was once thought that children do not show signs of lactose intolerance until they are at least four years of age. New evidence shows that babies can have one or more forms of lactose intolerance beginning from birth. Common Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance: abdominal pain abdominal bloating gas diarrhea nausea The different forms of lactose intolerance include primary, secondary and congenital (from birth) and lactose overload. The latter deals with an excess of lactose in the system from consuming too much dairy. This type is temporary and will disappear on its own. 

 If you think your child may be lactose intolerant your doctor can perform some tests to determine his or her tolerance to dairy foods. Two tests that are used to diagnose this condition are the Hydrogen Breath Test and the Stool Acidity Test. 


Even breastfeeding babies can be intolerant to their mothers breast milk. In this case, feeding from one breast at a time is recommended to ensure that the infant receives more of the richer hind milk and less of the sugary foremilk which helps the infant’s digestive system. 

Sources: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-08-30-lactose-intolerance_N.htm http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/#symptoms

Baby Care: Lactose Intolerance

Issues with milk: Lactose Intolerance in Children.

Now that Aiden turned a year old he is supposed to be able to drink regular milk but he is lactose intolerant. He has had this problem since he was born, even when he was breastfeeding. I have scoured the internet looking for information to explain the problems he has been having, and one day I happened to find the right page that explained it all. I forget that when searching for a diagnosis, the symptoms reported on internet sites are not all symptoms, just the most common ones.

My little guy had mustard-yellow, runny stool that escaped from every crease of his diaper. He would experience several "blowouts" per week and never had the typical light yellow seedy-looking diapers with hardly any smell to them. He ruined several outfits and a bouncer with this mustard-colored mess.

He would poop within 20 minutes of drinking any milk products including breastmilk. I read several articles that said it is unusual for breastfed babies to be lactose intolerant, but I want everyone to know that if you are experiencing the same issues I did, it is possible and very likely.

Another issue is a funny smell to his breath. He drools a lot now that he is teething, and I noticed his shirts and neck area had a funky smell from his saliva. I found an explanation to this one, lactose intolerance causing their breath to have a higher concentration of hydrogen. The funky smell is slightly chemical-smelling, not like bad food or typical rancid breath.

So now that he will not be drinking milk I have decided to keep him on toddler formula with a soy-base. I had planned to breastfeed him until he was 16 months to two years old based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization. It is my opinion that babies still need that nutrition for brain development past one year and milk does not contain enough nutrients to supply it. Many health professionals do not recommend soy milk for babies, so I will transition him to a soy-based toddler formula for 9-24 month olds and then to soy milk when he is 3 years old.

For those who suspect their babies may be lactose intolerant here is a list of not so common symptoms and a link to more information:

1. Poop that is light to pale colored. Green, yellow and brown are normal but tan, lemon yellow and white are not and indicate a problem with the digestive tract.

2. Pooping 20-30 minutes after consuming a milk product including breast milk. Sometimes it does not even take that long. Tiny babies do this and it is normal but once a baby is beyond 6 months old his bowel movements should be soft but formed, not liquid and runny.

3. Strange odor to their breath or saliva if teething. This is due to an excess of hydrogen in their breath from undigested lactose in their system.

4. Frequent diaper rash with red, irritated skin. This is due to high acid levels in the stool not due to insufficient diaper changes. Often after applying diaper rash cream it is gone by the next change. Also an indication of a digestive disorder.

If your baby has any of these symptoms or ones similar to these it is very likely he or she is lactose intolerant.

Here is a link to the page where you can get more information on lactose intolerance and lactose overload. Both are very good informational articles.

My Baby Turns 1 Year Old

My little boy is a year old now. Hard to believe the time goes by so fast. He is eating table food now and drinking regular milk, I wanted to continue breastfeeding but my milk started to dry up around the 10th month so we switched to formula for the last two months. He was taking 6 ounce bottles of breastmilk every 3 hours and my production went way down. But he is a happy, healthy little boy who is crawling and walks in his walker. I kinda miss the days when he was tiny....

Babies have to grow up so here we are now onto the adventures of a one-year old.

Creative Meals with Leftovers

Is there a good way to make meals with leftovers? Most moms enjoy cooking for the family but the drawback to that is ending up with a bunch of leftovers that nobody eats. In many households the food sits in the refrigerator and gets thrown out at the next weekly cleaning. We throw away tons of food every year because it is not eaten and spoils. How can we avoid this happening? The answer is to make creative meals from leftovers so the food does not sit around. Most families I know cannot afford to throw away food when budgets are tight and food costs are rising. This is a great way to save money by using up what you already have.

Creative Meals with Leftovers

Easy Method for Removing Diaper Stains from Baby's Clothing

Babies poop a lot and that is one thing that does not change as they get older. The difference is that they tend to poop more. I have had to throw out stained baby clothes in the past due to occurrences of diaper blowout. What makes it so hard to get out is the fact that it seems like it sets in immediately and leaves a tell-tale orange-yellow stain on whatever it gets on.

As a newborn, my son always had leaky-diaper-syndrome because he was breastfed for nearly nine months and baby poop differs in consistency from formula-fed babies. Aidan’s poop was always runny and an orangey-yellow color( similar to mustard in color and texture). I found out that this is normal in breastfed babies so I had to figure out a way to cope with it.

I hate throwing anything away if I can use it a few more times. Baby clothing tends to get stained from leaky diapers due to bouts of diarrhea or diaper malfunction. The problem is when fecal matter gets on baby's clothing it tends to stain very quickly. Usually diapers that are soaked and treated properly will come clean but many times it is just not possible to get the diaper or item of clothing rinsed immediately. I found a very simple solution for getting my baby's clothing clean after these diaper blowouts using ingredients found in my kitchen.

My salvation came totally by accident when I decided to try a different cleaning method. I remembered that certain types of stains such as blood and milk stains are protein-based and require soaking in cold water and can be removed with meat tenderizer or hydrogen peroxide. Meat tenderizer is basically a salt mixture so I wondered if salt would remove diaper stains. I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised to find that it did. I have used this technique many times over and will say that stains are removed much better if the items are washed in the washing machine after treating with the salt and dishwasher detergent. Hand washing just doesn’t do as good a job at washing out all the remaining stain. Here is the technique I use to keep Aidan’s clothes in good condition:

Secret tip #1
Feces, egg, blood and milk are all protein-based stains. One of the best stain removers for these types of stains is regular kitchen salt. The treatment is very similar to the method for removing blood stains.
Treatment method:
Remove any solids from diaper or clothing; soak the item in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes and drain. Lay the garment flat and sprinkle a generous portion of salt directly on the stain. The salt should completely cover the stain. Sprinkle a little water over the salt just to dampen it. Let this sit undisturbed for 20 minutes. Add a few drops of liquid detergent to the salt and scrub the stain until its gone then launder as usual. There should be no trace of a stain when removed from the washing machine.

• · Important note:
• If any stain remains repeat the steps above again. It is very important that you do not put the stained item in the dryer as the heat will permanently set the stain. Treat with the steps above as many times as needed to remove the stain. If you cannot wash the item right away you can rinse it, cover with salt and roll up or hang up to dry and use the stain treatment later. The stain can be removed later as long as it has not gone through the dryer.

Removing stains from bouncy seats and jumpers

I nicknamed my son "sir Poops-a-lot" because that is what he does. I have to wash his bouncer and jumper at least 2 times per week because he overflows his diaper. The legs ride up when he's jumping around and pushes it out of the diaper. To remove stains from these items disassemble or remove the cover if cloth or plastic, rinse in cold water and use the salt treatment for fabrics and a light coating of Palmolive "Eco" Gel Dishwashing Detergent for plastics. The jumper seat is plastic with fabric around the legs so the salt does not stick very well. The dishwasher soap works well for this and is eco-friendly. Wash the item first with a little liquid soap and rinse well. Pour a small amount of the gel detergent on the stain and lightly spread it over the spot and let sit for 60 seconds. Rinse hands immediately because this does contain a small amount of bleach. Scrub any spot and rinse well. Dry as usual.

The gel detergent method can be used on diapers and white or light colored clothing as an alternate. Since it does contain bleach do not leave it on for more than a few minutes and rinse out.

These are two of the best tips for stain removal that I have discovered in my 20 years of parenting experience. I raised 3 grown children and currently have a nine-month-old at home.

Technorati Tags: diaper stains,diapering,baby clothes

Comparison of Luvs and Parents Choice Diapers

Comparison of Luvs and Parents Choice Diapers

When shopping for diapers for your baby you should buy the product that performs the best for the least amount of money. Parents' Choice Diapers and Luvs are two brands of diapers parents choose most often, but which one out-performs the other?
Every parent wants to do the very best they can for their children. We skimp on other items so we can spend a few dollars more for the "best" diapers, formula, toys and etc. When it comes to a baby's skin, drier is better. The main thing a diaper should do is absorb the urine so it does not irritate the baby's bottom. So the question is, is it better to buy the more expensive diapers when the generic ones do the same job? Well, the answer is that it depends on the diaper. Some store brands are just as good as the name brands.
Which Brand to Use?
So here is where the comparison begins. I bought both the Parents Choice Diapers and the Luvs because I needed 2 boxes and there was only one box of the Parents Choice brand. My little one just turned nine months old and graduated to size 4 diapers so I had to make a trip to the local Wal-Mart to restock my diaper supply. In the past I tried out every brand of diapers when my other children were younger and found that many of the generic brands worked very well.
Cost
Parents' Choice Diapers were $13.97 for a box of 82 diapers size 4 at Wal-Mart and Luvs were on sale for $16.99 for a box of comparable size. I purchased one of each but for some reason I opened the Parents Choice Diapers first. I have used these diapers since my son was born so I know they work well. They do not leak and he has never had a diaper rash from them.
Features
The Luvs brand diaper is made a little larger than the Parents Choice brand. They fit with a little more room around my baby's legs and tummy. Both diapers have the elastic waistband and leg bands and tabs on the side for fastening the diaper closed. I had no trouble with the tabs on either diaper.
I typically change my baby every two hours or so when he is awake but I noticed that he went through the Luvs diapers a lot faster because he needed more frequent changes than usual. A box of Parent's Choice Diapers usually last us for two weeks because he is eating solids now and taking fewer bottles but the Luvs were gone in a week.
Does Luvs Stop Leaks?
When the last of the store brand diapers were gone I started using the Luvs but was very disappointed that they did not live up to their reputation. When wet they feel very mushy and leak fluid when picking the baby up or laying him down to change him.
A lot of people would disagree with me and say that Luvs is the better diaper and doesn't leak for them but you must remember that every product does not perform the same for every person. What works well for one may not work well for another and the Luvs just didn't work for me. 

Technorati Tags: parent's choice,diapers,review,Luvs

The Leaky Baby Diaper Dilema

Don't you hate running out of diapers, and especially at night. You get sucked into buying the cheapest brand because you don't have the time to shop around. I recently bought some diapers because they were on sale really cheap. I had used this brand when my baby was first born so I didn't think anything about it. I found out later why the baby diapers were so cheap, they were being discontinued. I did what everybody does, I went online and looked for reviews of the product and found out that there were a lot of complaints on them. My little boy wets a lot now that he is older, plus this week he went through the entire box of those cheap diapers because he had a bout with diarrheah. I love spending my morning cleaning poop out of his bouncer because his diaper tapes came open.  I usually go to Amazon or WalMart and look for products with 4 to 5 stars and a large percentage of positive reviews. Being desparate facilitates mistakes. Word of warning, before buying a new brand of diapers look for reviews on the product before buying them.