HOME PARENTING - 3

I.Balancing Your Relationship With The Rest Of Your Life

Are you one of those people who gets accused of forgetting your friends and even your family when you are involved in a relationship? If so, you are not alone. A lot of people struggle with this because you want the relationship to succeed so much that you often forget that you had a life before you were in this relationship.

This can cause a lot of problems because your other relationships can falter a bit and you can even not get things done at work and your responsibilities to other people will be left unattended. You can learn to balance your relationship with your friends and the rest of your life. It may not come easily to you at first, but rest assured that it can be done!

If you want to find that balance the first thing you are going to need to do is plan your time well. If you don't plan the time that you have to get everything done and to make sure that you stay accountable to all of the people in your life, you won't make the time. If your issue is with spending time with your friends now that you are in a relationship, plan a time to be with your friends. Tell them that next weekend you want it to be just the girls or just the guys and be sure to stick to it. This will not only show your friends that they are still important, but will teach your new mate from the get go that while they are important, so are your friends.

Make sure that you are always there for your friends and family on those important days. Weddings, funerals, graduations, and even the holidays are not days that you should be a no-show at. This will show your friends and your family that you are still going to be there for those special days and it will also show your new mate that they can fit into your life beautifully, but that your friends and family are still going to have a place in your life, too. This is a good thing for everyone!

Mix and match the people in your life. Don't feel like you can't ever get your new mate together with your friends and your family. Don't assume that your love interest is welcome and don't assume that they would want to go to family or friend functions with you, but if you clear it with both parties you should jump at the opportunity to have everyone that you love in one place. This will allow you to be all things to all people while making sure that no one feels slighted.

Make sure that you host parties or get togethers of your own. This will allow you to get everyone together on your terms and will also allow your friends and your family to get to know your new love interest in a very neutral setting. This will go a long way toward helping you balance the new relationship with your other obligations because you'll see everyone, it will just be on your terms so it will work out well!

II.3 Easy Steps to Kick-Start Potty Training for Your Baby

This article sets out to provide you with 3 easy steps to begin potty train your baby. I came out with these steps based on my own personal experience in training my baby when it comes to ¡¥using the potty¡¦.

It all started with my baby¡¦s peculiar way of passing motion. Since she was born, she had the habit of only passing motion once a day or once every two days. And you can imagine the amount of ¡¥poo¡¦ in her diaper when she does her business.

As it was a really messy affair (not to mention the frequent staining of mattress), I was desperate for a quick solution. I shared with a friend who recommended her mother¡¦s way of potty training, that is to hold the baby over the potty and tell her to ¡¥poo¡¦ into the potty on a regular basis. It is best to be done every day at a fixed time so as to regulate the bowel movement and for the baby to get used to the timing.

And this was exactly what my mother, my husband, and I did with our baby from as early as when she was just 2 weeks old. And our consistent effort paid off, from just 1-month plus old, my baby is able to urinate and ¡¥poo¡¦ into the potty every time we hold her over the potty.

With this success, I like to provide you with 3 easy steps whereby you can also achieve the same result.

Step 1:

Of course, start off by purchasing a potty! ļ

Step 2:

Gauge roughly when your baby passes motion. Some babies do it after feeding; some do it in the morning etc.

Decide on a fixed time e.g. in the morning after bath, in the afternoon after feed, or in the evening before sleep based on when he/she does her business and when it is convenient for you.

Then consistently hold your baby over the potty at the appointed time. Remember to hold him/her back against your front body for support. Different people do it differently e.g. my mother does it sitting down on a stool while my husband does it standing over a table with the potty on the table.

However you choose to do it, just bear in mind your baby¡¦s safety and your own comfort.

Step 3:

Do not give up if you do not succeed at first try. The key is to keep doing it until your baby gets it. Some babies may learn it faster, some slower. It does not matter.

As long as you are consistently doing it, you baby will get it eventually.

Just to share another success story. That day, my husband was holding our baby over the potty. At first, my husband didn¡¦t say anything or make any sound. Our baby looked at him and then he said ¡¥Poo Poo, Baby¡¦. Our baby then looked away and bent over slightly and started pushing, and out came the ¡¥poo¡¦. She just turned 4-month old that day.

Remember you can do this as early as when you baby is just 1-month old. However remember to hold him/her tightly and safely that he/she does not fall over.