Keeping it Real: What to do When Your Kids Lie?

A few weeks ago when Katie and her family were here visiting the Mini Fashionista got into Katie's eyeshadow. And when I say "got into Katie's eyeshadow" I mean she took the brush and dug a hole into the blue eyeshadow.

When Katie approached her about it, she, like most kids her age would do, denied it. So what did I do?

These are the tough parenting moments when I don't always know how to react. Luckily, Positive Parenting Solutions, my go-to-resource for all things parenting, gave me the tools to feel more effective in the way I handled it.

I did NOT ask her "Did you get into Katie's eyeshadow"? That's a loaded question that ensures your child will lie to you, and you already know the answer, so it accomplishes nothing. Instead, I was very straightforward. I addressed what she did, told her I wasn't mad about what she did but sorry that she felt the need to lie about it. We talk regularly about how lying is worse than telling the truth about doing something bad.

What I did next was the important part of the response. I didn't have to question why she did what she did. I know. She is interested in makeup. She asked for a makeup kit for Christmas, but I didn't give her one. I didn't give her makeup because all I could envision was a pile of broken eyeshadow caked into her rug....

So, here's what I said, "I know you're interested in makeup. I'm guessing that's why you were playing with Katie's makeup. How about we make a deal? Anytime you want to play with makeup, just ask, and we can do it."

So, we got out my newest Beauty Counter eye palette, and we played makeup. I piled on tons of eyeshadow and bronzer, and she loved it.

She loved it until we had to take it off, and then she hated it. Her eyes were irritated from the washcloth, and the skin under her eyes was red and irritated too. I'm guessing she won't want to play makeup for a while again.

Here are the tips that Positive Parenting Solutions gives to handle lying and the tools I used (not perfectly but from memory) to handle the situation. I hope these will help you in handling similar situations with your children.

1. Keep calm and parent on. Watch how you respond to misbehavior and mistakes in your home, whether it’s spilled juice on the carpet or unfinished chores. If your kids worry about being yelled at or punished when they mess up, they won’t want to come to you with the truth. Focus on using a calm voice – yes, it can be tough, but it’s possible. That doesn’t mean kids are off the hook for lying. But instead of getting angry and assigning blame, discuss solutions to the problem with your child.

2. Don’t set up a lie. If you can see piles of laundry on your daughter’s floor, don’t ask her if she’s cleaned up her room yet. When we ask questions to which we already know the answer, we’re giving our children the opportunity to tell a lie. Instead, emphasize ways to address the situation. If you know Evan hasn’t touched his homework, ask him, “What are your plans for finishing your homework?” Instead of “Where did all this mud come from?” ask, “What can we do to clean this up and make sure it doesn’t happen next time?” This can help head off a power struggle and allows your child to save face by focusing on a plan of action instead of fabricating an excuse. It also teaches a lesson of what they can do next time – sitting down with homework right after school or taking off their shoes in the mudroom instead of the living room – to avoid problems.

3. Get the whole truth. While we may want to put our child on the spot when we catch them in a lie, accusing or blaming them will only make things worse. Getting to the root of the problem and understanding why she couldn’t be honest with you will help you encourage your child to tell the truth in the future. Open up a conversation gently, saying, “that sounds like a story to me. You must be worried about something and afraid to tell the truth. Let’s talk about that. What would help you be honest?” You can use the information you glean to help her be more truthful in the future.

4. Celebrate honesty. Even if you’re upset that there’s a sea of water on the bathroom floor because your daughter tried to give her dolls a bath in the sink, commend her for coming to you and telling the truth. Tell her, “I really appreciate you telling me what really happened. That must have been difficult for you, but I really appreciate you telling the truth and taking responsibility.”

5. Delight in do-overs. Think of mistakes as a way to learn how to make better choices. When we stay calm and avoid yelling or punishing our kids for mistakes, our kids will be more likely to admit their slip-ups in the future. Turn the mistake into a learning opportunity. Ask, “If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently?” and brainstorm different ideas. If someone else was affected – maybe he broke his sister’s scooter – ask what he can do to make it right with the other party.

6. Show the love. Let your kids know you love them unconditionally, even when they make mistakes. Make sure they know that while you don’t like their poor behavior, you will never love them any less because of the mistakes they might make. This helps your kids feel safe opening up to you.

7. Walk the talk. Remember that your kids are always looking to you and learning from your actions. Those little white lies we tell, whether it’s to get out of dog sitting for the neighbors or helping with the school fundraiser, aren’t harmless – they’re showing your kids that it’s okay to lie.

For the Kids: Kiwi Crate

This year for Christmas I waned to get the Mini Fashionista something with some shelf life that was more activity-based. I can't remember where I found Kiwi Crate, but it was just what I was looking for.

Kiwi Crate is like a kid's Birch Box. Each month she'll get a new crate in the mail, addressed right to her. Every month has a new theme with all the materials she'll need for several activities. And while Christmas morning was a little crazy, I'd say it's Mini Fashionista approved.

Products We Love: Dylbug

Getting kids to eat is hard. Getting kids to eat healthy food is even harder. Lucky for us the Mini Fashionista has had healthy eating habits instilled in her from the very beginning, so we don't struggle with getting her to eat fruits and vegetables, but I know many, many parents that do. 

Here is a great way to make eating FUN for kids, Dylbug plates! These fun plates, placemats and cutters not only personalize the eating experience but they also make it fun and engaging. 

I know parents tell kids not to "play with their food" (I told the Mini today in fact), but sometimes playing with food is a good thing. 

These are going to become a go-to on my go-to on my list of gifts for kids.

Keeping it Real...and Safe

For those of you with children...especially those who live in cool/cold climates, I encourage you to read this post and watch the videos. You won't be sorry.

I try to keep the kid related content to a minimum here on C&C, but this is something I feel is very important to share. I am a bit neurotic when it comes to car seat safety. You see, when the Mini Fashionista was just 7 weeks old, we were in a very serious car accident. A woman ran a red light, t-boned our car which proceeded to roll...and roll...and roll...all the way back to four wheels.

Fortunately the Mini and my husband were not hurt. I unfortunately suffered two fractured vertebrae (compression fractures) in my spine. While the injury still bothers me over three years later, I am so thankful that none of us were hurt more severely. It could have been far, far worse.

Anyway....my car seat neuroses are therefore totally warranted. So here is what I want to share with you. The five point harness is the safest way to buckle your child into your car. However, in the winter we layer our kids in coats and sweaters and that can prevent the five point harness from doing it's job.

So today I am sharing with you (thanks to these videos), how you can safely buckle your child in their car seat while still wearing a coat. I encourage you to watch both videos.

Products We Love

It feels like I have been on the go nearly all summer. We leave the house by 9 a.m. every morning and don't usually arrive home until 2-3 p.m, if not later. That means that every morning I pack a lunch for myself and for the Mini Fashionista to take with us. If we ate "out" every day we would be spending a small fortune, so I try to limit it. 

The Mini Fashionista's lunch gets packed in her Yumbox, which I blogged about back in March (here)! 

They've even added a new box called the Panino that is for adults and kids! 

Anyway, I don't have a Yumbox, but I recently purchased another fantastic and green lunch container from U Konserve. They sell a variety of quality, safe and reusable food storage.

I got this stainless steel square box that is perfect for salads. 

They have a number of other containers including these nesting sets.

And this insulated food jar, great for hot or cold food. 

These containers are great for kids and adults alike. I think I might be ordering a few more of their products. 

Do you have favorite reusable lunch containers?

On the Road Again

The Mini Fashionista and I returned last night from a fantastic week in Sun Valley. My +1 stayed behind in Portland to work, so it was just me and the little lady enjoying our time with Katie, Dr. B and our parents. 

As The Mini gets bigger, so increases the amount of things she travels with.  I decided it was about time for her to carry her own weight. At the suggestion of a friend, I ordered her a Skip Hop rolling backpack. 

They come in a variety of cute styles. They fit a ton of stuff, and The Mini was so excited about her owl suitcase that she took great pride in wheeling it through the airport. 

I highly recommend this for your own children, or if you are looking for a great gift for a 2-5 year old.

Keeping it Real

Today's post focuses on the challenges of parenting. It's not an easy gig, but there are definitely tools to make it easier.

The Mini Fashionista is getting older and starting to ask a lot of questions, on challenging subjects. For these most challenging of topics,  I like to have a strategy. Sometimes my strategies come from blogs, like AHA Parenting.  I receive their daily email and find the articles extremely helpful. 

Recently, the book NurtureShock was recommended to me through the barre3 book club. I am not quite finished with it, but have devoured every chapter so far. The nice thing about this book is that each chapter addresses one single subject such as sibling rivalry, praise, race and intelligence. I highly recommend it 

I truly believe that the best way to address challenging subjects is by educating myself and then educating my child. In some cases that means books to read to her as well. Here are a few books I have purchased recently. 

"I Said No!" covers a variety of topics, including: what's appropriate and with whom and how to deal with inappropriate behavior, bribes and threats.

This book, A Rainbow of Friends, reminds children to celebrate their differences because that is what makes each of us so special.

Lastly, "Shades of People", explores of one of our most noticeable physical traits using vibrant photographs of children and a short text to inspire young children both to take notice and to look beyond the obvious.

Products We Love

If you have kids then you know how challenging it can be to find the "right cup". It seems like a simple task, but I feel as if I have bought every sippy cup, straw cup and water bottle on the market...all with the hopes of finding something spill proof and easy to use. 

When I saw this product, SipSnap lids, I knew I had to share! This product is GENIUS!

   

Their Kickstarter campaign ended earlier this week, and they raised %400 over their goal! I'm pretty sure this product is going to be in stores near all of us very, very soon! 

I'm sold! 

Products We Love

I have a product to share with you, and I KNOW you are going to LOVE it. It's most appropriate for the little people in your life, but it could also be used by adults. 

Say hello to the Yumbox! 

Yumbox is a leakproof lunchbox! It can hold wet foods like yogurt and applesauce (not water). It seals with one lid, and has a kid-friendly latch. The removable tray holds five 1/2 cup portions (i.e., 2 1/2 cups plus dip in round well) and helps kids to learn about food groups and portion sizes.

And best of all, the tray is easily removed and is dishwasher safe!

Thanks to our friend Priscilla for introducing me to this great product! Both the Mini Fashionista and I LOVE it! 

You can get one for the little luncher in your life on Amazon in either pink or green. 

Gearing Up For Christmas

Last year we featured these fantastic "Santa Bags" as a great addition to your Christmas traditions. Since I think they are so cool, I thought I would feature them again (and I know we have a lot of new readers).

This year the seller, Scriptingle, is offering them in a new red and white color combination. Sadly, they are only making 200 bags this holiday season, so you better get your order in quickly. 

Girls Rule the World

Chances are if you are reading this post, you are in fact a Girl! I'm pretty sure our male readership is low. That said, if you do happen to be a "boy" keep reading for all the little ladies in your life. You won't regret it.

What I am about to share with you is awesome, really really awesome! Thanks to my dear from Michelle B for introducing me to this company a year+ ago. She herself is pretty awesome too!

On to the uber coolness….say hello to GoldieBlox a story + construction set that bolsters confidence in spatial skills while giving young inventors the tools they need to build and create amazing things.

In a few words: building toys JUST for girls. Watch this video to get the idea behind this amazing product.



And now, meet the founder and creator and learn more about the story behind GoldieBlox.


Web edit - v10b-YouTubeUP-25k from Goldie Blox on Vimeo.


If you know a little girl, GoldieBlox should definitely be on her Christmas list. The Mini Fashionista will definitely be getting some soon…and maybe a name change too…let's call her the Mini Engineer!

Organize Life's Clutter

In January I blogged about a local Portland company started by fellow mom, Lisa Heydet (read the post here). Lisa's ZizzyBee bags are one of my favorite items to organize life's clutter, both in my home and on the road.

We use them for crayons and coloring books (perfect to take to a restaurant for dinner entertainment).

I use them for toiletries when I travel. Earlier this week I was in NYC and my ZizzyBee bag was filled with socks, underwear and bras!

And of course, they are great storage for snacks in your purse for an airplane or car trip or for running errands around town.

And because I love to share the gift of organization, ZizzyBee is offering C&C readers 20% off all purchases using the code "zizzyfall20".

And, there is no better way to end the week than with a giveaway! So, one lucky reader is going to receive their own 3 pack set of ZizzyBee bags! You have until Tuesday (24th) to enter, and we will announce the winner on Wednesday the 25th! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway Happy Thursday!

xoxo
C&C

Products We Love

It's no secret that C&C (especially Katie) is a fan of the monogram! Today, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite gift ideas. I know it's a great gift, because The Mini Fashionista received hers from her lovely Aunt Katie, and we think it's pretty fantastic!

La Plates sells personalized plates (as well as other items) that are a great gift for all the little people in your life. Invited to a first birthday and you don't know what to get? How about a cool striped plate? Get one of these and your gift will be personal, thoughtful and practical! 

They pretty much stick a name, letter or monogram on everything! So, if a plate isn't your thing, they also sell cutting boards, cups, soap dispensers...you get the idea!

Keeping It Real

As you may know, The Mini Fashionista is the wonderful age of two. And that means all the behaviors that come along with it; testing boundaries, finding her voice and exerting her power and place in this world. It’s a time of great discovery and development for her little brain, but also a time of great challenge for both of us as she learns the difference between right and wrong.

One of our recent challenges has been the act of saying “I’m sorry”. For whatever reason, she doesn’t like to do it. Maybe you’ve experienced this with your child. They do something wrong or hurtful and you want them to apologize, but they won’t. The Mini shows remorse, dropping her head, sometimes crying, but nine times out of ten, she refuses to apologize. Most of these instances involve minor accidents or general courtesies, so it’s not as if she bit the kid next to her and refuses to say she is sorry. Regardless of the severity of the incident, like all parents, I want her to learn and “feel” the emotions that come along with hurting someone and/or their feelings and the act of apologizing.

The challenge is this...I cannot force her to say “I’m sorry”.

After some thought, I’ve decided maybe it is better not to. Here is my reasoning. Forcing a child to apologize often results in fake apologies. We all know that kid that quickly and without any authenticity or care says “I’m sorry” just so he can be over and done with it. The apology is not at all genuine, and the child learns nothing about actually “feeling” sorry and showing remorse. That is definitely not the lesson I want to teach my child. Children need to learn that their actions have ramifications and they need to be willing to accept them, good and bad. So again, how do you teach that to a two year old? She isn’t exactly a rocket scientist...not yet, at least!

A friend of mine told me that at her child’s school, they don’t force kids to say “I’m sorry”. Instead they encourage actions that are a display of care and remorse such as painting a picture and giving a hug or a high five. Yes, this is a bit touchy feely, but isn’t that what apologies are all about? You sure “feel” a lot more remorse when someone gives you a big hug than you do when they say “my apologies or I’m sorry”. In this case, like in so many others, actions speak louder than words.

Clearly, I am no expert. I am not a child psychologist, and I don’t pretend to know any more about raising a happy, healthy and caring child than any other mom. But, I will refer back to a term I have used a lot lately, I am “aware”. I am aware of my child’s behavior now, and I know how my reactions to her behavior will shape her future behavior. So for that reason, I put a lot of thought into these types of situations. And that seems like a good start.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, especially those of you with older children. Did you have similar struggles? What strategies did you find most successful?

Products We Love

As you know, we do a lot of traveling with the Mini Fashionista. Ideally, wherever we go, she sleeps in a different room, in her own bed, but that doesn't always happen. Even if we have to sleep with her in the same room, we do everything in our power to avoid her sleeping in the same bed. Two is company, but three is definitely a crowd!

Thanks to my friend Lyndsay for introducing me to today's "Product We Love", the Regalo Portable Toddler Cot.

The cot weighs just over 6 lbs, is quick and easy to setup, and the Mini loves it! Sometimes she even pulls it out into the living room with her bedding to play pretend "sleep." 

It's perfect for sleepovers, road trips, camping and wherever else your travels may take you! If you don't have kids, but have nieces or nephews who come to visit, this is the perfect sleeping solution for the little people in your life!

Products We Love

I know that not all of our readers are moms, but I also know a good number of you are. Based on the results of our recent survey, we know that many of you enjoy the parenting/child related posts, and of course some of you don't. That said, we will do our best to keep things balanced and have a little of something for everyone. 

Today's "Products We Love" is for those of you with children in you lives. How many of you use or have used a chair in your kitchen to let your child help with cooking? I'm guilty...

 

As you know, it isn't the safest way to engage your child in the kitchen! That's where The Learning Tower comes in!

I love it because it keeps the Mini Fashionista safe when she's helping in the kitchen. It also makes for a great place to read!

The Learning Tower  is a step stool with an adjustable platform that can bring children right up to the counter eliminating all the risks of standing on a chair or sitting on the counter.

It can be used in bathrooms, shops and other places where children want to see what's going on and to help.And when you don't need it in the kitchen, it makes a great fort or puppet theater!

The Learning Tower can be found online at a variety of retailers and most are around $200. I would highly suggest checking Craigslist or with your other mom friends to see if anyone has one they are trying to get rid of before buying one new. We were lucky enough to receive our tower from my friend MVK! She's most awesome!

Let the learning begin! 

Keeping It Real

Lately I've been all about the "keeping it real" posts.

I try (key word) not to over share when it comes to my personal life, my beliefs, etc., but I think this is a topic worth bringing some thought to. A while back, after a long day, I made this post on my facebook page, knowing full well I would get plenty of responses...

"Any other moms wonder why you spent all those years in college and grad school just to spend most of your day doing "jobs" that require no education at all....cleaning, dog walking, laundry, etc. 
I'm sure I'll use my brain again someday!"

You see, since leaving my "traditional" 8-5 job and becoming, for the most part, a stay at home mom, I've struggled with my identity. I think it can officially be called an identify crisis. I spent all of my childhood, teens and twenties striving towards a personal goal; first it was college, then it was medical school, then it became graduate school and a job at Nike, and the next job at Nike, and then my own business...Sport Lab Ltd.

And then, I had a baby, and suddenly those kinds of goals weren't as important to me anymore, at least for the time being. But two years into motherhood I still find it hard to let go of who I was and the job I had, and there are times when I miss being in the professional world 5 days a week.

So, why is that? Maybe it's because the majority of my friends are professional, working women or maybe it's because our generation was told we could be anything: a doctor, an astronaut, an engineer, or even President; and never did that "anything" statement include being a stay-at-home mom.
Or maybe it's because despite being a pretty secure person, this is one of my insecurities...

Whatever the reason, I am constantly evaluating my place in the professional world and my place as a mother. I think for all women (okay...most) there will always be a struggle to balance work and family.   I will always be challenged to balance the drive and motivation I have to achieve in a professional environment with my love for my child and the flexibility my family has because I don't have a professional career.

So after all of that... there is no resolution to this post, but I thought I would share some recent books and articles that shed more light on this struggle that so many women experience. A friendly reminder for all of us, whatever your decision is... to work or not to work.. we as women should support one another and respect each other's choices, even if they are different from our own.

And let me add. Being a "stay-at-home mom" is by far the most difficult job I have ever had. No question!

Now for some light reading:

What Not to Say To Working Moms vs. Stay-At-Home Moms: What You Should NEVER Say To Them


Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood by Samantha Parent Walravens
Striking the right balance between career and motherhood is one of the most stressful, heart-wrenching tasks facing women today. In Torn, forty-six women examine the conflict between the need to nurture and the need to work, and reveal creative solutions for having the best of both worlds. The stories in the collection offer hope and inspiration, but they also reveal the messy realities of modern motherhood and life's inevitable crises, both small and large: from breast pump mishaps to battles with cancer; diaper blowouts to debilitating depression; competitive cupcake baking to coming home from war. In the end, the reader can take comfort in the knowledge that there is no perfect mother; nor is there a perfect balance when it comes to kids and career. The real challenge facing women today is not juggling their many roles, but realigning their expectations of what is possible and accepting that success does not equal "doing it all."


Good Enough is the New Perfect: Finding Happiness and Success in Modern Motherhood by Becky Beaupre Gillespie
Join a growing new wave of mothers who are learning to let go of the little things and focus on what they really want out of their career, their family and their life. Through their groundbreaking research, Becky Beaupre Gillespie and Hollee Schwartz Temple have discovered a paradigm shift in motherhood today: more and more mothers are losing their "never enough" attitude and embracing a Good Enough mindset to be happier, more confident and more successful. Filled with inspiring firsthand accounts from working mothers and drawn from the latest research, Good Enough Is the New Perfect is a true road map for the incredible balancing act we call motherhood.

 I Just Want To Pee Alone 
Motherhood is the toughest – and funniest – job you'll ever love. Raising kids is hard work. The pay sucks, your boss is a tyrant, and the working conditions are pitiful – you can't even take a bathroom break without being interrupted with another outrageous demand. Hasn't every mother said it before? “I just want to pee alone!” I Just Want to Pee Alone is a collection of hilarious essays from 37 of the most kick ass mom bloggers on the web.

DVF for Gap Kids

As you may have already heard, DVF once again has collaborated with Gap Kids to launch a limited edition kids collection. I'm as underwhelmed as I was the last time. Don't get me wrong, it's cute, but it feels somewhat forced...whereas, DVF is usually so effortless.

These are my favorite pieces from the collection. They range in price from $30-$60. I rarely spend over $20 on any item for the Mini, so $60 for an everyday dress seems a bit much.

And these are some of my least favorites.

What's your take?

Outfitted in Oscar

As you all know, If I could be dressed by any designer it would be Oscar de la Renta. Likewise, if I could outfit the Mini Fashionista in designer duds, I would most definitely put her in the Oscar de la Renta children's collection. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the currently collection.

That said, I think I will be saving for her college instead of spending $250 on a dress.

So...I will continue dreaming of de la Renta! 

Toddler Travel Tips

As you may have read in previous posts, I am currently in Austria and Italy with the Mini Fashionista and my +1. While the Mini has been on about 15 airplane trips in her nearly two years of life (including Mexico), this was her first time traveling across the pond. Since I know C&C has a lot of mom readers (and aunts), and Katie just did a post on adult travel, I thought I would share some of my toddler travel tips.

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

1) Bring snacks, lots and lots of snacks, that you know your little person loves, and bring way more than you think you will ever need. For the Mini that is Annie's cheddar bunnies and any type of fruit/veggie puree in the "squeezy pack". She calls it "juice". In our nearly 30 hours of travel to our destination in Austria these were pretty much the only things that she ate, despite being offered many other delicious choices.

Eating blueberries and mandarin oranges while wating for our car rental in the Munich Airport

2) Invest in some form of digital entertainment, dvd player, ipad, computer, etc. While it may not be something you let your child watch at home, you will be glad to have broken your rules. There is nothing better than a video to keep a toddler occupied on a long trip.

The Mini Fashionista "plugged in" while I wait in line to make a lost luggage claim for 2 of our bags

3) For long flights, get your child their own seat, even if they are under 2 years old. There is NO WAY I would have survived our 11 hour flight from LA to Paris with the Mini in my lap.

4) If you are bringing the carseat on the plane, invest in a Go-Go Babyz travelmate. It attaches to the back of the car seat making it into a "stroller".

The "Wagon" as the Mini calls it

Jet-Lag

This is probably the number one concern of all parents taking their children to far away places, I know it was mine, and I will be honest, it hasn't been easy. I did some "research" (a.k.a. google search) on toddler jet-lag before we departed, so at least I had some strategies going into it.

In 30 hours of travel, the Mini Fashionista only slept about 5 hours, 6 at the most. So we thought for sure she would crash hard upon our arrival, but that was wishful thinking. For the first 3 nights she woke up between the hours of 2:30 and 4:00 a.m. Following the advice of my "research", we kept the lights off, stayed in bed and eventually she fell back asleep within an hour or so. It was slightly painful, but we survived and by night 4 she was sleeping 10+ hours. We'll see how she adjusts once we are back home.

Here are my tips...some my own and others from my so called "research"! 

1) Say "au revoir" to your established, at-home schedule. A significant time change (9 hours in our case) is uncharted territory! Instead, identify a period of time, say 8-12, for bedtime and 5-10 for wakeup,  whatever suits your vacation schedule the best.

2) When your child wakes up in the middle of the night, keep the lights off (or on low) and don't allow her to use any sort of electronics. Light/motion stimulate the brain and will make it harder to catch those most needed zzzzzs.

3) Immediately adapt to the meal schedule of your new time zone. Hungry tummies often cause children to wake up during the night. If she does wake up in the middle of the night, a small snack, something without a lot of sugar (bagel, milk, yogurt, etc.) might help them go back to sleep.

5) Don't let your toddler nap too long during the day. It's just like having a newborn baby....if she sleeps too much during the day, chances are she won't sleep at night!

6) Give your child toys and books to play with as she falls asleep and possibly for in the middle of the night. This will mean less hands on time for you!

7) Allow yourself to break "the rules" you have at home. For us that meant the Mini Fashionista sleeping in our bed. Sometimes it was just easier for her to fall asleep cuddled up next to me, and if that meant I got to sleep faster, than so be it. It doesn't mean this will happen at home. It's back to her bed immediately upon our arrival.

8) Don't give up! It was super frustrating to go from a child that sleeps for 12 hours to a child that only slept for 5 or 6 hours at a time. I was exhausted from our travels and from being awake those first few nights. There were times when I thought "why did we do this?...we should have just stayed home", but eventually the Mini was able to sleep the whole night and I too got my sleep back.

I would love to hear if anyone else has great toddler travel tips!