toddlers

This parenting stuff can get rough. Especially when magazines, mothers-in-law and mom group frenemies tell us everything we think we’re doing right is utterly wrong. It’s no wonder we feel less than confident in our parenting skills, panicked that any mistake we make now will scar our little ones for life. But cheer up, mom and dad! You’re doing a better job than you – or any of your friendly naysayers – may think. By simply playing with your child day after day, you’re stimulating his or her development, setting the foundation for a healthy and happy life now and for years to come.

Like many little girls, every night I dreamed of one day finding the perfect husband (check), living in the perfect little house (check), and having three perfect little girls (check, check and check).  

The one thing my happily-ever-after imagination neglected to dream up was how said perfect little girls can sit for 30 minutes on a public toilet that smells so bad you feel like you have to brush your teeth, while you make up songs complete with a dance routine about how awesome it is to vacate their bowels, only to have them get up, unsuccessful, and not two minutes later take a massive dump in the swimming pool.    

Potty training may be the single most frustrating thing I've ever done in my life.  

With a new year comes new resolutions. Just as I did before I had kids, I fall back on some of the same resolutions as I have for the past decade – lose weight, work out more, eat better. But because of the children, many of my goals have become a little less dedicated to trying to look svelte and instead just trying to get through the day.

Since I already blew the diet resolution by eating cheesecake for breakfast (it’s the last day of my vacation, people!), I can focus on the following mom resolutions for 2012:

Shave. At least my shins.

Stop wearing hot pants and Lucite heels to PTO meetings.

No matter how busy I am or how little food there is in the house, I resolve never to serve Lunchables for dinner again. As adorable as my five-year-old’s daily announcement – “Remember when we had Lunchables for dinner? That was the best day ever!” – was this past year, it hardly provides the ambition one needs to cook a dinner from scratch.

Start dressing with a grabby toddler in mind. Wrap dress + two=year-old = peep show in the IHOP.