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育兒．持家．愛自己
shin mami
我們都在朝著愛與理解中前進，幸福是必然的!
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Hi~ 小寶真是可愛
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小馨愈來愈大了！晚上我趴在床上，肩頸很不舒服，頭又痛，於是請小馨幫我捶背，她很用力地幫我捶，還問我會不會痛.... 她也愈來愈會學我說話，指責把拔的口氣都像我...真不知道該說什麼？ 不過，她真的很可愛，每次跟她對話就會很快樂，彷彿瑣碎的事都不再佔領心頭，每天抱抱小馨，真是最最快樂的事情了！
媽媽終於請家管來幫忙清掃家裡，據說今天下午是從三樓打掃到一樓，樓梯間、二樓房間地板.... 下星期二下午還要再來一次，聽說會清洗紗窗 希望不要只有清潔，媽媽還要自己將櫥櫃衣服清一清，捐出去!
Your Little Chatterbox Even kids who were slow to begin talking usually enter this year completely fluent. It's incredible how sophisticated your child's command of the language has become, considering that just a few months ago all he could say was "Dada." 對啊！這幾個月來小馨語言發現進步好多，會講好多話，而且發音清楚、「你我他」用法也很正確、不會「臭零呆」，真令我們訝異！昨天早上起床後，小馨坐在床前看我換衣服，我拿了一件上衣穿，她竟然跟我說：「馬麻你穿這件衣服不好看」！頓時讓我臉上三條線，我的穿搭竟然被一個三歲小孩這樣說，讓我很汗顏！ Your 3-year-old now No more games of charades to decipher what your child wants. Thanks to his improved diction and amazing grasp of grammar, you should be able to understand more than three-fourths of what he's saying now. He uses longer sentences (three or more words) and a growing vocabulary (300 to 1,000 words — too many for you to count) to make himself understood. Your budding conversationalist loves to talk and sing. Lengthy verbal turn-taking is a hallmark of this age. He'll be able to answer simple questions and also ask questions of his own. Sometime he cares less about the answer than keeping the conversation going. He'll begin to describe what he's seeing or doing and is starting to use words to reason things out. You'll notice him using more adjectives (the big red car) and correct verb tenses, adding "s" and "ing" when necessary. He may still have trouble producing some sounds, especially r, l, s, and th. Your life now When your cries in fright during the night, don't assume it's a scary dream. There's another kind of event that can wake preschoolers called night terrors. Night terrors occur when a child moves from deep sleep to a lighter sleep, usually between 10 p.m. and midnight. Your child may sit up in bed and scream or fling himself around, sweating and breathing hard. Even though his eyes are open, he won't be awake or responsive to you. In fact, it's often difficult to wake someone in the middle of night terrors, so don't try. Just stay with him to make sure he's safe. He won't even remember the episode the next day. (In comparison, nightmares happen in a stage of light sleep later on, often in the early morning. Children may cry or call for help. They may run into your room, sharing details of the horrible monster that was chasing them. Or they may not be sure what upset them. With a little comforting, they'll usually relax.) Night terrors run in families, and children who are overtired or agitated are more susceptible. Most outgrow the episodes in the early elementary years.
這個母親節我終於可以跟自己的母親度過，因此下午就請假，載著三阿姨和小馨回南投，到家時還不到五點，還可以去接梓琳兩姊妹！
老公下午搭高鐵來南投，我載著整個下午都沒有午睡的小馨和梓熏去接老公，然後晚上在水雲居吃飯！ 小宣一家也在下午時回到南投，除爸爸和書凡外，一家人都到齊了！
爸去俄羅斯
Handling Bed-wetting The average age for potty training in the United States is 34 months for girls and 37 months for boys (though it's not at all unusual for older 3-year-olds to still be in diapers).小馨戒尿布的狀況比預期中還要順利，當然，我也知道真正的戒尿布應包含晚上也不用包尿布，不過，這點我們沒有特意訓練，總之在睡前都會幫她包尿布，她也會乖乖配合，以後應養成睡前上廁所尿尿的習慣。 除了這些，我發覺小馨的膀胱肌肉收縮也愈來愈好了，有時在車上，她會問：「可以尿下去嗎？」，在我們制止並要求她忍耐下，她都可以忍到回家後才尿，這點也讓我們很高興！「 Toilet training isn't complete, of course, until your child stays dry all night, and accidents are likely to continue through the age of 5. Patience, a waterproof mattress cover, and a handy change of sheets are among the tools you'll need to handle this transition. Your 3-Year-Old Now: Even if your child is basically potty trained by now, you can expect accidents, especially at night, for months or even years to come. Staying dry at night is the last step children master, and it tends to be harder for boys than for girls. But rest assured, most kids grow out of bed-wetting naturally. Most physicians don't consider it a problem until age 5 or 6. No one knows exactly what causes bed-wetting. Sometimes physical traits are a factor (a small bladder, an immature nervous system, or a very deep sleep pattern). Emotional changes may also trigger bed-wetting. If your child starts having accidents after months of dry nights, it could be that she's facing new stresses or fears. Don't make an issue of the wet sheets. Your matter-of-fact attitude when dealing with accidents will help lessen your child's embarrassment. If she's anxious, reassure her that it's a normal part of learning. Since bed-wetting can run in families, it may help your child to hear stories about how you or Dad took a while to stay dry at night when you were kids, too. Eliminating liquids, including frozen or gelatin treats, after dinner can help. So can making a visit to the potty part of the bedtime routine. Some parents of frequent bed-wetters find it worth waking their child in the middle of the night (or just before the adults go to sleep, if it's a few hours after their preschooler went down) for a potty trip. If your child is a very deep sleeper, a brighter night-light may keep her from sleeping quite so soundly, making her more aware of bladder signals. Your Life Now: You know having time to yourself is an important way to recharge your batteries so you'll feel fun and happy around your preschooler. So why do you feel so guilty about leaving her just to have a good time? It's easy to feel selfish or silly for taking "me" time, and you may find it hard to explain to your child that you're leaving her to go see a movie with friends. But there's no harm in telling the truth. It's good for your child to see you happy and good for her to have other caring adults in her life. Explain what you're doing and what will happen (who will watch her, that she'll have a bath and a story and be tucked in, and that you'll come and kiss her when she's asleep and see her in the morning).
懸而未決的暑假旅遊計畫，終於確定了！ 剛剛已經redeem好兩張機票，從台北飛溫哥華.... 可以開始規劃行程囉！YA！
明明知道媽媽不敢吃香蕉、木瓜，可是小馨偏偏說要買，然後還一直提「香蕉、香蕉、 香蕉....」「木瓜、木瓜、木瓜...」 說完後自己哈哈笑不停！
明明星期一就看了醫生，醫生也認為沒有喘，可是昨晚小馨夜咳又變嚴重，今天到底還要不要再去看醫生呢？
Learning Colors Orange, blue, green, red, purple, yellow … learning colors is fun and easy for most preschoolers. 小馨最喜歡blue，也知道馬麻喜歡purple，基本上她已經可以區分顏色了，不用擔心她有色盲，哈！The trick is lots of practice. Fortunately, color is everywhere, so you can easily drop references to it into conversations, asking your child to bring you the blue socks or remarking that you're serving him green peas on his yellow plate. During a walk, see how many red objects you can find together. 不過這兩天小馨很調皮，昨晚下班帶著她去頂好超市，她竟然在車上時就說要買「香蕉」，然後接著又說要吃「木瓜」...明明知道這兩樣水果都是馬麻不敢吃也不敢碰的東西，竟然會這樣玩弄大人！ Your 3-year-old now Three-year-olds are beginning to learn colors. They can usually point to a color when asked and may be able to name four or more by midyear. Some fun ways to help them nail this skill: Weave color references into everyday conversation. "What color shirt do you want to wear today?" "Let's find a white car." When you're reading, ask him to find the red bird on the page, or ask him what color the duck is. 最近幫小馨買了一個桌子，希望她能夠在桌子玩黏土，沒錯！她最近迷上了黏土遊戲，不過她總是將黏土捏的細細碎碎的，地板及桌上常有細碎黏土要收拾，頗為麻煩！ Mix it up. Make clay or cookie dough, and divide it into several bowls. Add a few drops of different food coloring to each and knead it in. Then experiment with mixing the colors together. "What do you think will happen if we mix the yellow and the red?" Another fun idea: Put water in fancy clear bottles and have your child add food coloring. Put the bottles on the windowsill and let the sun shine through. Sorting play. Most 3-year-olds start the year sorting according to their own whims rather than by color or size. But it's not too early to give him a shot at color coordination: Get some blocks in different colors and ask your child to sort them into piles by color. Or let him help you sort socks by color. It's fun to see the wheels turn in his mind as he solves the problem in his own way. Make colors appear out of thin air. For a real crowd-pleaser, dangle a prism in the sunlight. (Many gift shops sell inexpensive hanging prisms.) The rainbows dancing on the walls will delight your child, and you can point out the colors that make up a rainbow. Your life now What to do with your budding artist's vast body of work? It's impossible (or at least impractical) to save everything. Pick your favorites and toss the rest when your child isn't looking. Do put up a few drawings on the refrigerator and leave them there for a while. Now that he's no longer living in the moment and can better remember what he's done in the past, your artist is able to feel pride and accomplishment in his work: "Hey, look what I can do!" 小馨最近的確會拿著紙筆畫畫，這些畫畫充其量只能說是一些線條，不過她還是很得意畫了「馬麻」或「把拔」，我們也很有禮貌誇讚她，讓她很高興呢！
希望他身體健康！
早上上課前帶她去看醫生，因為最近晚上有咳嗽，有點小擔心！
這次是我自己的問題，總覺得耳朵好癢，果然醫生清了耳屎後，說耳朵有些發炎。 至於鼻子則要吃消炎藥，如果還有黃鼻涕或鼻子不通，則要考慮可能是鼻竇炎問題。
昨晚睡覺時，小馨要求喝ㄋㄟㄋㄟ。 如果晚餐她吃不多，通常我會順應她的要求，但是若晚餐吃得好，就會顧及睡前ㄋㄟㄋㄟ可能導致蛀牙，而不讓她喝。 昨晚就是這樣，當她提出要求，我很委婉用其他理由拒絕，此時小馨就不再強力要求喝，而我用順水推舟方式，巧妙杜絕了一次睡前的喝奶。 有時想想，小馨真得很乖、很「明理」，隨著她漸漸長大、懂事，很多事情都聽得懂，也願意配合，情緒起伏不大，我真慶幸她是個好帶的小孩，也因此，對於是否要有第二胎，我也不禁猶豫了起來，因為我已經可以略為輕鬆了，而第二胎卻必須重新再走一趟這些過程，唉∼我也懶了、倦了。
Imaginary Friends The all-systems-go imagination of a 3-year-old can conjure up a new presence in your home — your child's imaginary playmate.其實小馨早就有了imaginary friends.她是用別種方式呈現：當成這些玩具的姊姊，用照顧者的心裡來對待她的寶寶們。前兩天小馨三歲生日，我在mothercare買衣服時小馨選了little violet 當她的寶寶，我第一眼看到時覺得真可愛，因為家中已經有一隻大的violet，而小的這隻是用來陪0-36m的寶寶睡覺用的，看著小馨小心翼翼地抱著，就決定讓她買了，果然帶回家後，這兩天都會帶著little violet睡覺，希望不是「喜新厭舊」才好。Although it can be startling to suddenly hear your child talking to a pretend pal, this development is common and very positive. In fact, it's a healthy sign that you have a creative child. Imaginary friends are great for kids — and are another sign that this year is one of the most magical of childhood. Your 3-year-old now Been asked to set an extra place at dinner for an imaginary friend yet? As many as half of preschoolers have a pretend buddy. These phantoms don't mean your child is lonely or maladjusted. In fact, kids with imaginary friends are more likely to grow up to be creative, cooperative, sociable, independent, and happy. 沒錯！我也認為小馨有這些imaginary friends對她的成長有幫助！她總是基於一個大姊姊立場，雖然有時也不盡周到，不過沒有弟弟妹妹的她，有這些小玩具陪伴，我們也很開心。 An imaginary friend can be human or animal and usually comes with a name and distinct personality. Part confidant, part playmate, part protector, and part scapegoat, they help kids practice relationship building and let them be in control for a change. A pretend friend can be a child's way of handling an increasingly demanding, expanding world. Watching your child's interactions with her imaginary friend can give you useful insights into her fears and stresses. If her imaginary playmate is afraid of monsters under the bed, then your daughter may be, too. Although it's wise to be respectful of your child's imaginary friend, try not to get involved in the relationship. For example, avoid using imaginary friends as a way to manipulate your child ("Harvey ate his peas, why can't you?"). Instead, follow her lead. She knows deep down this is an imaginary creation, and it can be a bit alarming to her if you buy into it too readily. These extra members of the family usually disappear by age 7, as your child becomes immersed in the very real-life world of school. 到7歲會消失....?可愛的小馨到了7歲就會漸漸懂大人的世界，唉∼小孩總會長大。 Your life now Having a 3-year-old can make you proud and completely nuts all at the same time. Because your child's verbal skills and physical abilities have expanded so much since her wobbly 2-year-old days, it's easy to fall into the trap of expecting more from her than she can always deliver. Progress is gradual. Although preschoolers sound and look capable of much more now, social and emotional maturity take time to develop — and that means lots of patience on your part. She still has faulty logic and a healthy ego. She thinks the world revolves around her — as it should at this age.
今天真是忙碌的一天。 早上11點從家裡出門後，先到丁丁藥局，可是買不到小馨的桌椅，只好到mothercare買小馨的衣服，後來到了士林的HOLA... 我們也逛了一圈，買了一些小零食送給小馨同學分享，也吃了中餐，這時決定到新莊IKEA買她的小桌子。 不過她也累了，在車上睡不到一個小時，到了IKEA後就醒來，我們也終於如願買到她的小桌子。 後來到金礦拿生日蛋糕、回家存放、再搭計程車出來吃鍋爸火鍋... 回到家已經快八點。 我們約莫快九點吃了蛋糕，之後客人就回家了，也結束匆忙的一天！ 三年了！好快！祝小馨每天都快快樂樂，心想事成！
Your big preschooler now identifies certain possessions as his and his alone: a favorite cup, his lovey, certain toys.小馨對於物品的所有權非常清楚，這個是媽媽的、這個是小馨的，有時還會故意說錯，如果我隨便回應，她還會再問一次，然後糾正說馬麻說錯啦！ He may think of his room as truly "his" special space, and his cubby at daycare in a similar way. 很遺憾，到現在還沒讓小馨自己一個人睡，因此她的房間就是我跟她的房間，而把拔並不屬於這個房間。Later, when your child learns to identify his name, he'll love to see it on clothes and books.現在的小馨就會指著巧虎書，說這是她的名字，我們也會在她的茶杯、奶瓶等物品貼上她的姓名貼紙，她都會指著姓名條說這是她的名字喔。 Keeping a collection is another way your child distinguishes himself, plus it helps him learn to categorize, compare, and sort objects. Your 2-year-old now Older preschoolers are as passionate about collecting things as adults. They may be trading in rocks instead of oil paintings, but the idea is the same. Developmentally, your preschooler is working hard to classify the world around him into groups and subgroups (mammals, cats, pet cats, white and yellow cats). Collecting suits this kind of mental function perfectly (big rocks, little rocks, white rocks, shiny rocks). Toy collections are fun, but a grown-up has to purchase them — your child can't do it himself. That's why so many starter collections tend to involve natural items (sticks, shells, feathers), because the child can be in control. Give your child a special place to store her collection, such as a box or shelf. Encourage her to talk with you about it, which helps her articulate what she's thinking. Ask, "Why did you pick that one?" and "Which are your favorites?" Your life now As the need to discipline your child increases, Mom and Dad have ever more opportunities to disagree on an appropriate response. (Sometimes couples who thought they knew one another so well are surprised by the degree to which they disagree about how to raise a child.) Some pointers if it happens to you
主要是舅舅書凡回台灣，機會難得，順便帶小馨回外婆家玩！
下午提早回家，主要是想幫小馨的玩具做個整理，尤其是客廳玩具又多又雜，有些她已經不玩了，有些零件則散落上她的房間祕密基地中，趁機做個整理收納，或者捐給更適合的小孩。 整理完玩具，下一步就是衣服了，夏天快到了，她的衣服也要做個整理了！
是老公的舅媽請客的喔！
回家後還有千層蛋糕，簡單許了願望後，一家三口吃得很高興喔！ 對了！今天園所也幫四月份生日的小朋友辦慶生，小馨收到好大一個扮家家酒的玩具呢！
The "Ouch" Years If you feel like you're doling out bandages (and make-it-better kisses) more than you used to, congratulations. You have a full-steam-ahead preschooler now. Two- and 3-year-olds get more scrapes and bumps because they're moving faster and in new ways. She's ready to ride a tricycle, for example, as well as "drive" plastic vehicles, chase after balls, and climb in more accurate ways. Tumbles tend to accompany all that speed because stopping is still harder than starting. 如果你時常給小孩使用繃帶或是"呼呼不痛了"，表示你的孩子往前更進一步！沒錯！小馨受傷幾乎雖然不多，偶爾擦傷或淤青，她都會很高興自己可以拿OK繃貼，彷彿受傷是一件每好得事情。生活在都會中，小馨的確不像兩個表姊這樣跌跌撞狀這麼嚴重，因為大部分時間都在室內活動，衣服也可以保持很乾淨，頂多有食物污漬，我已經很慶幸了！ Your 2-year-old now Most children master a tricycle between ages 2 and 3. It takes large-muscle power and coordination to manage this feat. 對啊！小馨還沒開始學騎腳踏車，都怪我們不常帶她到戶外，這種需要腿部肌肉運動的活動，的確比較少訓練她。Starting with a low-slung model made of plastic can help your child feel secure (it's less likely to tip) and get the hang of moving his legs. Then you can move up to a taller trike if you like. Your child won't have the necessary balance and coordination for a two-wheeler until closer to the elementary-school years (some kids can handle training wheels before that, but rarely before the late threes). Safety tips: Realize that low-to-the-ground vehicles can't be seen easily by motorists backing up, so always supervise your little rider. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a child wear an approved safety bicycle helmet even in the preschooler years, and even when she's a passenger on your bike — it protects her brain as well as gets her in the helmet habit right from the start. Your life now Your child is very attuned to the rhythms of the household now and has a better sense of time, and she's discovering that after she goes to bed, hey, everybody else is still having fun! Procrastinating at her bedtime can be the result: "I need water." "I need a backrub." "I forgot to tell you I love you." It's as exasperating as it is cute. If it becomes a problem, remind your child of the nightly routine as you tuck him in: We did this and this and this, now it's time for sleep. Before you leave the room, ask him if he needs anything else from you. Some parents allow one or two callbacks before refusing to respond to any more (make sure your child knows this rule). Be sure to keep your response quiet and calm. If you're exasperated and show it, your child might be getting a little power rush from being the cause. For the same reason, avoid getting into a back-and-forth discussion about staying in bed — no lengthy explanations necessary.
忍耐了好久，從年後燙壞的頭髮就讓我傷腦筋，時常要到美髮院洗髮才不會亂，終於在今天下午補休去燙髮。 頭髮剪短了，也燙捲了，這種捲度讓我好整理，二個星期後再找時間護髮、五月份再去挑染！ P.S.我真的老了，翻開頭髮，赫然發現竟然有白髮，嗚嗚鳴••
Why Preschoolers Lie Your maturing preschooler probably gives you plenty of reason to feel proud: when he remembers to say "thank you," for example, or gives you an empathetic hug if he sees you're sad. So you may be thrown for a loop the first time your child tells a bald-faced lie. It's not deviance. An active imagination and a tendency to forget what happened ten minutes ago explain away most lying in this age group. 會不會說謊？應該不是用「說謊」一詞來形容，而是這個階段的小孩說話並不可完全採信，他們的想像力與接觸最近所聽到的、看到的東西息息相關，因此常常會複製在身上，其實小馨還小，根本還不懂得「說謊」是什麼，她還這麼天真無邪，說的話常常惹我們歡笑，我們一點也不覺得這與說謊有什麼關係呢！ Your 2-year-old now For preschoolers, the line between fantasy and reality is blurry, which may explain their tendency to lie.（沒錯，真實的生活與故事的情境對他們來說是模糊的，他們純真的心理認為這是同一個時空發生的事情，因此讓大人有「小孩會說謊」的錯覺） Your child's intent isn't to deceive you. Rather, she wants to say what will make you happy — even if it isn't true. Make it less scary for her to tell the truth and you'll help her avoid fibbing. For example, if she denies drawing on the wall, calmly help her clean up and point out that crayons are for coloring books and paper. Counterintuitively, humor can be another useful response. Go along with the tall tale and embroider it yourself, and your child will probably catch on to the absurdity of her story. Two-year-olds' lies also sprout from their active imaginations. They come to believe certain things they've imagined really did happen: Maybe it was the dragon under the bed who messed up all those clothes all over the floor.（哈哈，這麼說來，每晚睡前媽媽提到大野狼和虎姑婆，就是小馨想像力最被刺激的時候！昨晚趁著「大野狼」的餘威，讓小馨點頭願意在臉上擦乳液） And sometimes what seems like a lie is sheer forgetfulness. You ask, "Did you put your finger in the frosting of that birthday cake?" and if it happened much earlier in a busy day, she just might not be sure whether she did it or her big brother did. Your life now As a baby your child was content to sit in the grocery cart gazing quietly at the kaleidoscope（萬花筒） of colors in the aisles. Now it's "I want that!" and "Can I have ...?" Don't be afraid to say no. （沒錯！現在只要進了頂好超市，她馬上像脫韁野馬，到處尋找她要的、之前她買過的、或把拔要的東西...讓我們不勝其擾，總是偷偷地將東西放回，最後僅留下一件她可以買的零食） Concentrate on buying what you came for and don't give into begging and whining unless you want to live with the habits. Bonus: Experiencing frustration allows a child to learn patience and self-control. 所以千萬不能妥協也是一種辦法，讓小孩遭遇一些挫折或困難也能讓她學習到耐心與自制力！我們還要再加油！
Baby Steps to Independence Your preschooler's branching out. Increasingly he feels secure enough to play a little farther from you at the playground. Sometimes he even turns away from you around the house. Two-year-olds sometimes make a big show of "rejecting" one parent and wanting the other to get him dressed, read to him, play with him, and so on. Rest assured it's a temporary thing. Act normally, even if it hurts a little, and the phase will pass. 她正一步步走向獨立嗎？ 有時總覺得她還很小，可是聽她講話，卻又覺得她真的已經長大不少，會說好多話、也會跟我們對話回應，有時等著她結結巴巴將話講出來，也會讓我很知足... 但是很多時候就像上述文字講的，有時只要「把拔」或「馬麻」幫她穿衣、穿鞋、洗澡、推推車....她對大人也有很多的意見，我們會感到難過嗎？ Your 2-year-old now Try not to take it personally if your preschooler has begun preferring one parent over another (and you're the odd man — or woman — out). She might decide one day that only Daddy can read the bedtime story, not Mom. Habit is sometimes the reason: If Mom has driven to the babysitter every day, there's a fuss when Dad does it. More obviously, a parent who's been away on a trip might be shunned. It's your child's way of saying, "I really, really missed you and didn't like it ... I'm afraid you'll do it again." Know that these whims are temporary. If you're the one on the outs, don't take it personally. If you're on the ins, specify some activities that are done with the other parent so that you'll get an occasional break. Continue about your usual routines with your child and things will fall back to normal. Whatever you do, don't try to win back your child's affection with special toys or relaxed rules. You'll only set a bad precedent and reward her behavior. Besides, the one thing she really wants (even when she's acting like she doesn't) is you. Your life now Feeling bored during your child's tea parties, block-building, or attempts to play Candyland? Of course you do sometimes. Playing with a preschooler can be tedious business for grown-ups. They're notoriously bossy, impetuous, and into doing the same thing again and again. Don't feel bad about encouraging your child to play alone sometimes; it builds her independence. Also look for alternatives you can do together without losing your sanity, like cooking or gardening, playing outside, or taking a walk. Or let your child imitate your activities while you work, for example, at her own "desk" or play kitchen.
A magical day in Disney!
希望沿路都有好心情，不要受他影響！！
晚上洗澡時，小馨問我：「馬麻，妳真的愛我嗎？」 當場不知道怎麼回答她，一方面也是自己愣住了.... 後來小馨又若無其事在玩水，想必她真的不懂這句話的意思吧！
Nasty Habits Ever wonder where bad habits start? Whining, using "naughty" words, shrieking, sticking one's tongue out, hitting, and the like often begin by accident. It happens once — a bad word is overheard and repeated — and creates an instant strong reaction in you that makes your child think, "Wow! Let's do that again!" Ignoring minor misdeeds and calmly correcting major ones is the best way to nip unpleasant behavior in the bud. Your 2-year-old now You're so proud of your angel's burgeoning vocabulary — until words like "poopie head," " stupid," "dummy," and worse creep in. "Bad" words are all around your child: They hear grownups cursing at traffic, pick up foul language from TV, and trade exciting words (the ones that seem to get a rise out of Mom or Dad) with playmates and siblings. Alliterative silly words ("poopy doopy") are favorites because they are so fun to say and hear. The quickest way to make this kind of language disappear is to ignore it. If you make a fuss, you're only showing them how powerful certain words are, which makes them want to say them all the more. Your life now You used to be able to dress your child in the adorable items of your choosing, and so long as she didn't decide to strip naked, that was that. Now she seems to have opinions about everything she wears: This shirt is too "scratchy," or "I want my blue top (again)." A budding fashionista? No, just a typical preschooler exerting her independence. Try not to get hung up on what she looks like. Unless she's being formally photographed, it really isn't worth a power struggle. One tricky situation is refusing to wear a coat in the cold. Instead of insisting, try giving her a little face-saving space: "Okay, I'll just bring it along in case." If it's really cold out, she'll put it on. If she doesn't, she'll get cold and may need to leave the park earlier — a natural consequence for her behavior. Exception: really bad weather. Then you just have to make proper dressing a household rule: "No going outside to play in the snow (or walk in the rain) without coats."
