As every parent knows, potty training is never an easy feat. Teaching your child any new routine is a challenge, especially when it comes to putting away the diapers.

Luckily, there are products that make this period a little smoother for both parents and children. And simplifying your lives doesn’t mean you have to introduce chemicals into the routine either. We rounded up our five favorite non-toxic potty training products!

 

1.) Primo 4-in 1 Soft Seat Toilet Trainer and Step Stool

Made in the USA and free of phthalates, BPA and lead, this non-toxic toilet trainer is not only eco-friendly, it’s also designed for smart potty training. The Primo Toilet Trainer is equipped with handles for your child’s safety and features an extra wide base that doubles as a step stool. It is designed to help parents learn how to effectively potty train their children in four simple steps.

 

2.) Under the Nile Organic Training Pants

The transition from diapers to potty does not happen overnight. Help your child ease their way into this new routine with Under the Nile’s training pants that are GOTS certified, made with organic Egyptian cotton and contain no BPA or flame retardants. They also feature extra padding and a comfortable elastic waist.

 

3.) BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat

Getting your child to use the “big kid” toilet while training is always a plus because it saves you from having to transfer messes. When training on the toilet, you will need a training seat. That BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat is made from BPA-free plastic, fits most toilets, is ergonomically designed, has a handle for safety and includes a built-in splashguard.

 

4.) Babyganics Flushable Wipes

No child goes from messy diapers straight to perfectly clean potty training. Trying to rely on just toilet paper after using baby wipes is not always the best for keeping your training child clean, so many parents invest in flushable wipes. Babyganics flushable wipes are paraben-free, so they won’t irritate your child’s more sensitive areas, and they still provide maximum conditioning.

 

5.) Prince Lionheart faucet EXTENDER

 Teaching your little ones the importance of washing hands is an integral step in the potty training process. Instead of making your child reach and strain to get to the sink, try adding a faucet extender. The Prince Lionheart faucet extender is BPA and phthalate-free, fits most faucets and is antimicrobial.

 

What non-toxic potty training product do you swear by? Let us know in the comments!

 

The first few months of a baby’s life are filled with wonder, excitement . . . and exhaustion.

We know how tiring it is to do the late-night feedings, followed by the middle-of-the-night diaper changes, and finished with the early morning wake-up calls that now consist of cries. And every day is a repeat of the day before.

We promise that one day, you’ll look back on these days and miss them more than you can handle.

But until then, we’ve got some sleep tips for new parents to make those sleepless days and nights a little easier!

 

Take Shifts.

It takes a village, right? If you’re in a position to use teamwork to your advantage, do it! Create a sleep schedule. It could be one night on, one night off or you could split the night in half. Figure out what works best for the two of you, and take on this adventure as a team.

 

When Baby Sleeps, So Do You.

Don’t underestimate the importance of catching some extra Z’s whenever the opportunity presents itself. Your nights may be difficult, but the days won’t feel as bad when you and baby share nap times.

 

If Someone Offers Help, TAKE IT.

Now is not the time to be shy or to feel like you have something to prove. If friends or family offer to watch your new baby for a little while, say YES. You need all the rest you can get, whenever you can get it. If you’re especially tired, don’t be afraid to ask for help, either. Your friends and family know this is an exhausting time for you. They want to help.

 

Go to Bed as Early as Possible.

Most newborns are up every few hours, so it’s a good idea to go to bed as early as you can. Even if you’re not sleeping, you’re still relaxing. Your body is still taking a break, which is important to your health.

 

Snack on Superfoods.

You are going to be sleep-deprived for the first few months, there is no way around that. But one thing you can do is feed your body foods that keep your energy high. Some of these foods include brown rice, honey, bananas, apples, oranges, and spinach. Ask your doctor for more suggestions.

 

The first few months are going to be a challenge, but our sleep tips for new parents should help make this journey a little easier and less exhausting!

As a parent, you may think that there is nothing worse than your child being so tired they will not sleep. Just because your child is resisting going to sleep does not necessarily mean they’re “overtired.” A fussy baby could also be “undertired.”

It may come as a surprise, but overtired and undertired babies are actually very hard to differentiate. While they can display these poor sleep patterns similarly, it’s important to know which one your baby really is so you can properly remedy the issue. To help you better understand, we break down the similarities and differences of overtired vs. undertired.

 

Overtired vs. Undertired Similarities

Obviously, both of these issues revolve around sleep, and both overtiredness and undertiredness can have lasting effects on your child. The younger the child, the more sensitive their circadian rhythm. If this rhythm is even slightly put off balance, their growth and learning can suffer.

As both overtiredness and undertiredness throw off a sleep schedule, they often display similarly. Both an overtired baby and an undertired baby will cry, a lot, even when they’re not hungry. Also, whether your child is undertired or overtired, they will wake very early in the morning and rarely go back to sleep. This not only shortens what would be a healthy amount of sleep, it also negatively impacts their, and your, entire schedule for the day. Right before bedtime and naptime is when overtired and undertired babies demonstrate another similarity. Both overtired and undertired babies will resist settling before bedtime, so if you don’t pay attention to how they are resisting, you may not know if they need more or less sleep.

 

Overtired vs. Undertired Differences

Unfortunately, when trying to avoid a child not sleeping enough (overtired), it is easy to overcompensate, creating an undertired baby. To avoid babies getting overtired, many parents put their children to bed TOO early. So these sleep issues, while different, affect each other.

As we stated, both overtired and undertired babies resist settling before bedtime. Luckily for you, how they resist is different, so that may help you determine which they are. An overtired child will be extremely energized right before bed. An undertired child, however, will resist by crying and fighting.

Behaviors during naptime are also where overtired and undertired babies begin to show key differences. When a child is overtired, they will take extremely long naps, and it’s very difficult to wake them up from these daytime slumbers. When a child is undertired, however, they will be very restless during naptime, and they will wake up frequently.

Lastly, other than waking early in the morning, undertired children don’t typically show many symptoms during the daytime. When a child is overtired, they express daytime irritability as well as lack of concentration during the day.

 

Do you have experience with an overtired or undertired baby? Tell us about it in the comments!

It’s the Digital Age, which means a lot of life happens behind the screens. We receive information faster than ever and we can easily communicate with loved ones around the world, but too much of anything is never a good thing—including technology. When we live life for likes, comments, and retweets, we forget to live in the moment. We forget how to sit back and cherish everything that’s happening around us. Now is the perfect time to unplug your kids and teach them how to explore and enjoy life beyond the screens.

TVs and tablets are great, but that’s not where memories are made. We want all parents to encourage their children to get up and have fun, so we’ve listed some suggestions to help you teach your kids how to unplug!

 

1. Set Time Limits & Stick to Them.

When it comes to screen time, it’s important to give kids limits. Allow 15-60 minutes of screen time per night, and be sure to enforce this time limit. Encourage them to fill the rest of their evening with activities that don’t include phones, tablets and TVs.

 

2. Encourage Socialization. 

Enroll your children in activities that require them to interact with other children. Not only will this help them develop social skills, but it may introduce them to new interests and passions. Check your local newspaper and library for information about youth sports leagues, academic clubs, theatre classes and more.

 

3. Buy More Books. 

z Before technology took over, people had to rely on their imaginations for entertainment. Crazy, right? Let’s bring that back! Take your kids to a bookstore and encourage them to pick out books that catch their eye. Set aside time each night for reading, and make sure they stick to it.

 

4. Plan Family Fun Nights.

When was the last time you and your family played a board game? Do you ever look through photo albums together? Have you camped out recently? Have you ever thought about having a picnic together? Think of one or two activities a week that don’t involve technology, and do them with the entire family!

 

5. Be a Good Example.

If you want your child to “unplug,” show them how it’s done! Limit your screen time, especially when you’re with the kids. Setting a good example is essential to the process.

It’s never too early or too late to show kids that there’s more to life than what’s on the screens. Start teaching kids how to unplug today!

May is Clean Air Month, so that means it’s time to start looking more closely at the choices you make in every room in your house.

Specifically, it’s your responsibility to keep the air in your baby’s nursery as clean as possible. Use this month to make some simple clean air changes in your child’s room.

 

1. Clean Humidifiers Regularly

If you use a humidifier, such as a Crane USA humidifier, in your baby’s nursery to help relieve their congestion, be sure to clean it regularly. If you don’t change the water, the humidifier can harbor bacteria, which can pollute the air in your nursery. 

 

2. Purchase a Non-Toxic Mattress

Many conventional crib mattresses contain materials that contribute to off-gassing, such as flame retardants and polyurethane foam. Pick a mattress such as the Lullaby Earth Healthy Support Crib Mattress. It’s non-toxic and contains no flame retardants, so it will not off-gas harmful chemicals into your child’s nursery.

 

3. Add Purifying Plants

Plants add a beautiful natural element to your baby’s nursery and are also great agents for cleaning the air. There are a number of plants proven to purify the air, such as Gerbera Daisies and Lavender. Plants add some color to your kid’s room and help them breathe a big breath of fresh air.

 

4. Choose Natural and Non-Toxic Rugs

Rugs can be a great addition to your baby’s nursery, adding a little personality to the space. When choosing this accent piece, pick a non-toxic option as to not bring air pollutants into your baby’s space. Lorena Canals rugs are perfect for any nursery and use raw materials and natural dyes.

 

5. Go Non-Toxic With Your Cleaning

Branch Basics, a company that specializes in simple, affordable and sustainable cleaning solutions.

 

How do you clean the air in your baby’s nursery? Let us know in the comments!

 

Job Title:

Mom (possible promotion to Grandma years down the line, please be patient.)

 

Job Summary:

Are you interested in a life-changing experience that literally never ends? Have you ever wanted to work around the clock with no pay and no indication that you’re doing well at your position for at least 18-20 years? Do you like locking yourself in closets and crying so no one can see you when it all gets to be too much?

• No vacation days or personal days

• No 401k or insurance

• No training—learn on the job

• Overtime is required

• Must be OK with working nights, weekends, and holidays
  
  

We know this job looks terrible on paper.

But we promise, it will be the most rewarding experience of your life, and once you’re hired to be Mom, it will be impossible to imagine life as anything else.

 

Job Responsibilities:

*Will change overtime with age and experience—everyday is filled with new adventures, pressures, expectations, and duties so be prepared for anything, always.

• Feeding, changing, and bathing a mini version of you for the first few years, all while enjoying minimal sleep and an exhausting schedule

• Trying to decipher what Mini-You needs when crying because your new job is one big guessing-game filled with the inability to communicate

• Keeping calm when every part of you wants to lose your cool—this is especially important when Mini-You throws a loud, public meltdown

• Being a mind reader, cheerleader, caregiver, teacher, mentor, counselor, chef, driver, and about 100 other titles at any moment for the rest of your life

• Concealing your laughter when Mini-You says something wildly hilarious but highly inappropriate

• Assisting with homework in a variety of subjects that you haven’t studied in years, maybe decades (have you heard of Common Core? Because whoa.)

• Making cupcakes at midnight for a bake sale tomorrow that Mini-You just told you about an hour ago

• Putting everyone’s needs before your own

• Worrying for the rest of your days every time Mini-You leaves the house
  
  

Job Qualifications:

Unconditionally loving another human being more than you ever thought possible, to the point where sometimes you look at Mini-You and your entire heart wants to explode with pride because YOU made that special little person and even on the worst days, you wouldn’t trade any of it for anything in this world.

Along with the many growing pains of raising a toddler, establishing a successful nap routine can be quite the struggle. If your toddler won’t nap or if naptime is always chaotic, you aren’t alone.

While there is no guarantee that you will have consistently seamless nap times, there are some things you can take into consideration to make your toddler naptime routine easier. 

 

Listen To Your Child

Some days all your toddler wants to do is sleep, and some days they are feeling extra active and it seems as if they will never sleep. Take these moods and energy levels into consideration when it comes to naptime. It’s okay if your child needs an extra nap one day or if they won’t nap when you want them to. The more you try to force them to stay awake or fall asleep, the more they will grow to resent naptime.

 

Change The Script

The exciting thing about your child growing into a toddler is that they are starting to learn and understand speech. Unfortunately, that may not bode well for naptime. As your child ages, they may begin to think the word nap is synonymous with baby. Try to use terminology that will make them feel more grown-up, such as simply telling your toddler they need to sleep. Also, try reinforcing the fact that parents and adults take naps too.

 

Think About Your Schedule

The more your child naps at the same time each day, the more likely they are to equate that time with relaxation. Try picking a timeframe each day during which you put your child down for a nap. While, as we mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t force your toddler to nap, keeping a consistent time for naps every day will trigger your child’s body and mind to go to sleep at a certain hour.

 

Substitute Sleep For Relaxation

Sometimes, no matter how tired your child may seem, they simply won’t nap. Just because they won’t nap, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t still experience quiet time. Even if they aren’t snoozing, try reading a book or put on some calming music. While you would prefer they nap, some restorative downtime is better than no down time at all.

 

What are your tips for getting your toddler to embrace naptime? Let us know in the comments!

 

You found time for a night out! This is exciting, but as a parent, your mind will immediately start racing with all of the things you have to prepare for the babysitter. Not to mention the constant worry of forgetting to share pertinent information.

To ease your mind, we have created a downloadable PDF for you. Just fill in all of the important details for your sitter!

Download the PDF to Save & Print.

 

What other information do you like to leave for your babysitter? Let us know in the comments!

 

Earth Month 2018 is coming to an end. I know, we’re sad about it too. It has been an amazing experience.

During the past three weeks, we’ve worked together to help kids love, appreciate, and conserve the planet. We hope you’ve enjoyed the Scavenger Hunt as much as we have, but it’s not over yet!

It’s the fourth and final week of Earth Month, and this week we are showing kids how to nurture Earth in a variety of fun, family-friendly ways. From picking up litter to discussing the importance of plants and trees, our final Scavenger Hunt activities focus on making our planet better, cleaner, prettier, and healthier. 

 

Week 4: Nurture Earth

 

This week, challenge your child to complete these tasks:

Pick a meatless meal. Caring for Earth means caring for all its inhabitants, including plants and animals. Challenge your child to think of a meatless meal & make it together!

Find an area to clean up. It doesn’t take much effort to make our planet look pretty. Take your child on a walk or to the park & pick up trash.

Find something to re-purpose. Challenge your child to create a craft using only reused materials.

Pro tip: Milk cartons make a great rocket ship!

Find a tree taller than your house. Help your child learn the importance of trees by showing them how small trees become big trees that breathe oxygen and give birds a home.

Plant seeds. Not only is a garden good for the environment, but it also gives you and your child a special bonding experience.

While completing the Scavenger Hunt, you can also take part in our Earth Month Giveaway to enter to WIN over $1,000 in prizes!

Sign up to WIN the weekly prize bundle & share photos on social media with the hashtag #LEEarthMonthHunt to enter to win a Grand Prize worth over $1000 from our Planet-loving friends: Bitsy’s Brainfood, Bumbleride, EZPZ, Happy Family, Lullaby Earth, Olen Organics, and organicKidz.

Each photo shared counts as a unique entry - the more you share, the better your chances of winning!

For more details on how to enter please visit, Earth Month Scavenger Hunt.

We want to leave this planet better than we found it, right? It’s time to get the next generation involved! The past two weeks, we have focused on getting kids to love and appreciate the Earth. This week, it’s time to teach them how to protect and improve it.

There are hundreds of ways we can practice conservation, and the earlier we involve children in the process, the more likely they’ll be to develop Earth-friendly habits and practice them throughout their life.

Here are a list of fun Scavenger Hunt activities that you and your family can do together this week.

 

Week 3: Conserve Earth

This week, challenge your child to complete these tasks:

Create a mini compost. Make a mini compost with a clear plastic bottle. The clear bottle allows curious kids to see daily changes within the compost, and it’s a great way to recycle food. If you’re not feeling up to the compost challenge, make a list of biodegradable and non-biodegradable foods.

Catch the rain. An important part of conservation is re-purposing. This week, grab a bucket and designate it as the “rain bucket.” When it rains, catch the rain and encourage your child to use the rainwater for watering the house plants or for other activities.

Find a pollinator. Get outside and search for insects that pollinate. Use this opportunity to share why flowers need those special insects.

Have a candlelight night. Electricity isn’t needed to have a fun night at home! Replace the TVs & tablets with books and shadow puppet shows using only candlelight.

Make or play with pinwheels. Teach your child about wind energy with pinwheels! By playing with pinwheels, kids get a visual representation of how powerful the wind is, and it offers the perfect way to start a conversation about wind energy.

While completing the Scavenger Hunt, you can also take part in our Earth Month Giveaway to enter to WIN over $1,000 in prizes!

Sign up to WIN the weekly prize bundle & share photos on social media with the hashtag #LEEarthMonthHunt to enter to win a Grand Prize worth over $1000 from our Planet-loving friends: Bitsy’s Brainfood, Bumbleride, EZPZ, Happy Family, Lullaby Earth, Olen Organics, and organicKidz.

Each photo shared counts as a unique entry - the more you share, the better your chances of winning! Check back each Monday in April to unlock the week’s Scavenger Hunt activities and to enter to WIN.

For more details on how to enter please visit, Earth Month Scavenger Hunt.