Planes, Trains, & Bad Manners

We flew to Chicago for a trip, but I decided to embark on an adventure with my toddler, by riding the Amtrak upon return. The train was completely full, and I was pleased to see the cleanliness and spaciousness of the seats, particularly as my daughter had not napped given all of the excitement. Having additional room for a toddler to maneuver seemed like a great way to start this ride, and I was hopeful of a relaxing trip.

A group of approximately 15 women (aged mid forties to upper 70's) were seated around us. One of the 70-something's was complaining that her foot stool was broken, so she could not recline. I'd normally volunteer to switch seats, but she was in a large group that could oblige, and I had a sleepy toddler in tow; signage (see above) says priority is given to the elderly and those with children, and while I am a firm believer that younger generations should care and give up their seats out of respect for the elderly, mom's with babies in tow for seven hours require comfort as well, especially given the potential nuisance that a small child can create, leading to everyone's discomfort! 

The ride began, just as one of the 40-something's made a final attempt at rigging the leg stand for the woman, when she turns to me and says, "Could you have your daughter switch seats with us? It's not like she'll need to recline?" My face clearly read, "Are you nuts?!" but I respectfully said, "I normally would, but my daughter has not napped and will need to recline for proper rest, and the comfort of all of us."  I caught a glimpse of the Golden Girls' evil-eyes for a good portion of the trip until at last, my daughter fell sound asleep, completely sprawled out and reclining in her chair. After a wonderful ride without tears and no shouting by any kids on the train, I found it rather ironic that none of the women considered giving up their seat for their very own friend, rather relied on a stranger. The point being, don't ask someone to do something you're unwilling to do yourself. As we approached our destination, one of the women praised my daughter. Well, "Sleep is the best meditation." - Dalai Lama


-Leslie Osmond

Kids Tormenting Pets

Toddlers tormenting pets - not in a bad but cute and cuddly way - is hilarious...and scary. It's funny because neither baby nor animal understand the meaning of being gentle, and your pet is torn between fleeing, fighting back, or simply put up with it.

Our daughter loves animals as I am sure most kids do. We have a cat named Phoebe that loves attention, and both our daughter and cat exhibit such enthusiasm when playing together, but trying to explain to a toddler that you have to be gentle because you can't pull their tail or pick up a cat or dog when you're half its size is a task in itself. And while parents should always have an eye on their children around pets, it's necessary to guide your child into learning the appropriate motor skills and reasoning to be gentle and controlling forceful touch. Here are some examples I have used and learned in teaching children to be gentle: 

• Use gentle touch when correcting. By demonstrating how to nicely pet or touch the animal, children are likelier to mimic this behavior.
• Demonstration is key, and can be used on the child. Caress your child's face or hand so they realize what soft or gentle touch feels like.
• Using gentle words like please, excuse me, or I am sorry,  and speaking in a soft tone sends a good message. Also encourage them when they are being gentle by affirming the behavior. Say "Nice job" or "Thank you for being so gentle."
• Reading picture books that convey this message or demonstrating on stuffed toys and animals. 
• Directing their hands by placing them on the animal and applying the right pressure to show them exactly how the pet likes to be snuggled, pet, and loved.

It is important to help children make right choices by teaching at a young age how to interact nicely and gentle. One of the first steps can be through their interaction with pets, because there's no greater love than the love from parents and pets.

-Leslie Osmond

Please visit our website ozzybaby.com

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Single Moms & Dads

Hats off to single moms and dads. Parenting is tough enough when both are in the picture, but watching friends carry the weight of two roles is something that does not seem fair. I have nothing but the greatest respect for the sacrifices made every day by single parents, and overcoming the challenges posed by one income, childcare needs, and the desire for partnership. There are many days that I am exhausted and all I want is a few more minutes of rest in the morning, or quiet in the evening. Seeing single friends that have no choice but to rise above the exhaustion and beat the odds is inspiring.

I want to take a moment to appreciate the single parents that work tirelessly to support their children, and are doing the unimaginable for the sake and happiness of raising wonderful beings that will make a difference in the world. Your child appreciates you in more ways than you know, and although at times it may not be evident,  they see the sacrifices you make. You're a gladiator. Here's to another day of strength, discipline, and love, and you are an amazing parent.


-Leslie Osmond

Please visit our website ozzybaby.com




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Activities Today's Kids Will Never Know Or Appreciate

I'm eating dinner that includes part of a pre-packed salad, and as I'm about to take a bite of a long strand of grass, I laugh hysterically as my husband grabbed it to whistle. This piece of "salad" is what we used as children to whistle. As my husband and I reminisced about activities we loved when younger that today's kids will never know, we thought about how unfortunate the missed opportunities our children will not experience. The "phone" our parents had that we created as kids was two cans connected with a string. Today's kids have iPhones by age six! We had the joy of random activities to preoccupy us for hours and made us who we are today.

I decided to compile a list, in an effort to expose our daughter to some of the outdoor games we played that no longer seem to be played by kids. Not only are they fun, they keep kids busy and active. I want my daughter to be active and learn more than just how to play games via iPhone, social media, etc. I want her to exercise her body and mind, and the games we played as children build character and whether we got dirty or into trouble, also develop creativity and imagination. I encourage every parent to do some of your childhood favorite activities with your kids. It is more fun than you know, and brings back the kid in you. Here's a list of some of my favorites:

• Freeze Tag
• Climbing trees 
• Capture The Flag
• Looking for bugs, mice, snakes, etc. was an adventure that kept my siblings, friends and I outside until the sun went down.
• Hide And Seek
• Dodge Ball
• Red Light Green Light
• Water balloon fights
• Running through the sprinkler
• Building go-carts, tree-houses, etc.
• Camping in the backyard or at our neighbor's and roasting marshmallows
• Ding Dong Ditch (I'm not encouraging this one, but let's be honest, most parents have done this at some point and it was hilarious!)
• Flag Football
• Roller hockey in the street
• Kick ball
• Frisbee
• Red Rover
• Hacky Sack

Have fun with your kids and happy Monday.

-Leslie Osmond

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What A Load of $h!t

I think my neighbors think I'm a slob. There's only three of us in my household. That includes a toddler, and every week on trash day I haul four giant garbage bags to the curb like Santa Clause, despite a two bag per household county restriction. In addition, I have a mountain of recyclables. I feel there should be a parenting disclaimer in hospital delivery rooms warning about the the amount of diaper waste little ones make. What is most disturbing are the statistics regarding diaper waste worldwide.

In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports more than 20 billion disposable diapers sent to landfills, which accounts to nearly 3.5 million tons of waste. I'm not a tree-hugging hippie, but these numbers are shocking, and I see the impact from just my household. I cannot imagine seeing the pile of dirty diapers worldwide. Isn't there something we can do?

I tried cloth diapers for a while, but the hassle of them leaking or being so disgusting that you don't want them in your washing machine; the stench from the diaper pick-up bin after a few days; the extra laundry, to my never-ending laundry, etc...let's just say I am not a fan of cloth diapers! But I understand from the environmental standpoint why some moms choose this method. The EPA advises that it takes 3.4 billions gallons of fuel oil per year and 200,000 trees to manufacture disposable diapers. Landfills are flooded with them, and I am unsure of the solution. So the question is do we deal with the inconvenience of cloth diapering because it saves the planet, or do we save moms' sanity when it is just easier to throw away a diaper? I don't have the answer, but it appears no one else does either. Such is life...


-Leslie Osmond


Please visit our website ozzybaby.com


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My Kid Drives Me Nuts

There is something inherently ridiculous but funny about a mom screaming at the top her lungs to use an inside voice! It's so hypocritical and counterintuitive, but sometimes kids drive you nuts, and you can't take another minute of the whining, crying, and extreme need for your undivided attention 24/7. Just when you think you have two seconds of calm, they test your limits..."MOMMY!!!"

"USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE!!!"

I'm not sure exhausting is even the right word. The never-ending pile of laundry, pull-ups, snack time, dishes, making dinner, etc., coupled with fussing every two minutes, you're liable to pull your hair out. Every day is consumed by my daughter, but the reality is that I would be lost without her. She has taught me patience and love, and her tiny voice and laughter fills the room with joy. We all struggle with mommy moments, and counterintuitively screaming instruction, but the moral of the story is live in the moment. Learn in the moment. Just be in these moments, because before you know, our little ones walk, talk, and are grown up.  Cherish these times, because I know some day I will reflect back and laugh at my hypocrisy. I already am.

-Leslie Osmond


Photo courtesy of http://theorangerhino.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/is-yelling-the-new-spanking1.jpg

Up to Mischief

Just when you think your toddler is fast asleep, you walk into the room to see her drenched in shampoo. My floor is slippery and sticky, and her hair looks like an old man's combed over toupee! I had to resist laughing hysterically because the hairstyle was atrocious. To make matters worse, explaining why we had to rinse her hair over and over given that the bubbles from her hair would not stop was interesting.  Needless to say, my toddler, sheets, and floor are squeaky clean! Happy Hump Day!

-Leslie Osmond