Hi everybody! One of the most frustrating things for well-meaning parents can be dealing with children who are picky eaters and refuse to try new foods. http://www.cloudmom.com I've been there! Despite your best intentions, the dynamic can easily become a power struggle. I've been through this with one or two of my kids, and the more I pushed, the less they ate. I knew that I had to change strategies. --Healthy Meals for Picky Eaters-- In my house, our meals are by and large healthy. We opt for brown rice, whole grain bread, vegetables, lean meats, soups and milk and fruit after each meal. I've also been trying lately to introduce salads (not to great applause!) and other new things. But where I do think I have gone wrong is in not providing for enough variety. So when we do venture out of the house to friends or for a dinner out, my kids often shrink away from trying anything new! So to me, the old mantra when it comes to food for picky eaters remains true: introduce, introduce, introduce... as difficult as this may seem, the more exposure, the more likely that your picky eaters will venture out of their comfort zone. They make it hard for you by fussing but eventually, the new food will lose it's suspiciousness and they might just go for it. Watch my vlog for more of where we've gone right and wrong, and please share ideas and recipes for picky eaters that have worked for you! You Might Also Like: -Toddler Parenting Tips: Food Battles http://cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/toddler-parenting-tips-food-battles/ -Solid Foods for Babies: When a 13-M-O Won't Eat http://cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/13-month-old-diet-2/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ____________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts Subscribe to CloudMom on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows?feature=mhee

There I was giving her oatmeal and Daddy walked in with some bagels, and she went berserk! http://www.cloudmom.com "Bagel, Bagel..." she yelled, and she wasn't going to be happy with that oatmeal anymore. I had such a hard time with Marielle this morning I just had to make it into today's Vlog. --What to Feed Picky Toddler-- A lot of you might think this kind of thing is about a kid being picky, but in this case, Marielle really was perfectly happy with the oatmeal before she had another more yummy option right in front of her! So I asked myself, what are some good parenting tips for toddlers like mine who create these type of dramatic situations! Maybe I'll do a vlog! Watch this vlog for my toddler parenting tips based on this little food episode with Marielle and let me know whether you agree with me. To me this wasn't so much about the issue of how to feed a picky toddler, it was more about do you give the toddler what she wants at every moment of the day! Hello people, am I right?! Other moms, what have you done in circumstances like this? If you disagree, weigh in!! Comment below and thanks for watching! Other Parenting Videos You May Like: - Toddlers and Nutrition: When Baby Snacks All Day http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/good-cop-my-day-off-from-disciplining-kids/ - Gooey Brownie Recipe http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/gooey-brownie-recipe/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ____________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts Subscribe to CloudMom on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows?feature=mhee

As parents, we want to provide nutritious snacks for kids, and there are many options for healthy snacks for a toddler. But what if your child wants to eat all day long? http://www.cloudmom.com I've always done my best to meet the nutritional requirements for toddlers -- getting them enough protein, calcium and other vitamins through balanced and healthy snacks like fruits and veggies, yogurt, cheese -- but lately my 2-year-old wants to "graze" all day and is grabbing for food from adults and throwing tantrums. Do you have advice for me? Share your tips here: http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/toddler-nutrition-healthy-snacks/ Other Parenting Advice Videos You May Like: - Recipe: Healthy Fried Rice Energy Bites http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/recipe-healthy-fried-rice-energy-bites/ - Getting Children to Eat Vegetables http://www.cloudmom.com/babys-first-year/mom/getting-children-to-eat-vegetables/ - Family Food Fix: Shake Up Your Salads http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/family-food-fix-shake-up-your-salads/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ___________________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts Subscribe to CloudMom on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows?feature=mhee

At what age do kids start to lose their teeth? Usually not at 3 years old, which is what recently happened to us when our toddler fell. Watch for more! http://cloudmom.com Hi everybody! Today's video is about when toddlers loose teeth early! A lot of parents wonder at what age do kids start to loose their teeth -- I know I did. For my kids, they lost their bottom teeth at around 6 and their upper teeth starting at 7. Hedley didn't develop baby teeth so he still has those at 10, but that is out of the ordinary for those two bottom teeth, which are usually the first to go. Anyway, we had a little accident while we were on vacation and Marielle knocked out her front tooth. Kinda sorta traumatic, to be honest. We put the tooth in milk and began reading about re-implantation, worried that she had permanent damage. Do baby teeth have roots? The baby tooth that came out of Marielle's mouth -- and I show a picture in the video -- was so much longer than I ever would have imagined! It looked like a sabertooth! The tooth surface that you see made up less than half of the length of the overall tooth. And poor Marielle had a gaping hole in her mouth. I was concerned that she had effectively knocked out a developing adult tooth above. So off to the dentist we went. For more on my experience, and for what I learned about toddlers who lose their teeth early, watch my video!! And please weigh in! When did your kids begin to loose their teeth? And how many have they lost thus far? WATCH Fun Tooth Fairy Traditions for Kids http://cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/try-these-tooth-fairy-traditions/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ________________________________________­____________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/+CloudmomMelissa/ CloudMom on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows CloudMom on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/CloudMom_Melissa http://CloudMom.com

Hi, everyone! So now that we've covered bathing babies in the previous video, today I'm going to dive into bathing toddlers. http://www.cloudmom.com A WONDERFUL YouTube viewer asked me recently how often you should bathe a toddler, and that's a great question. Generally speaking, you don't need to bath your toddler every day. In fact, there are a couple of reasons why bathing daily can actually be harmful—but we'll dig into that later. Personally, I found that a daily bath was perfect for my children because, well, kids will be kids—and they get messy! So really, how often should you bathe a toddler? First of all, I live in the heart of NYC. Summer afternoons can be sticky and hot, and after an afternoon of playing in the park, my kids were usually dirty, sweaty, and had all sorts of muckiness on them. After a little time in the sandbox, all I know is that I want to get my children clean immediately (who knows what's in there, ya know?!). I really love to give them a bath at the end of the day, before dinner. Sometimes it's so early that it would hardly be considered an "evening" shower, but more of a "late afternoon" routine at around 4:30 p.m. Some people may find this silly, mostly because they could get their PJs dirty at dinner and not be entirely squeaky clean before bed. That may work better for you, but it really just depends; personally, I found that by the end of the day I was exhausted and needed that extra time to start the bathing process (and yes, it's quite a process—I actually cover that in another video!) If you find yourself only having the energy to wash your toddler's hands and face, and you want to spend the rest of that time reading to them or doing some other fun activity, that's completely fine. As long as your toddler isn't totally filthy, then that isn't time wasted! I did ask my doctor about this topic, because I have a couple of kids who have eczema. He didn't think that it was the best idea to bathe them daily, but if it was necessary, then I should use a very moisturizing cream. I use a really great, organic, paraben-free shea cream, and a hydrocortisone cream for those tricky areas where eczema tends to flare up. They're lifesavers! The American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that giving a nighttime bath might help toddlers with sleep problems, because it can help them unwind and relax. I've actually noticed this with my own children, so if you have a fussy sleeper, it might be worthwhile to try giving them a bath before they go to bed! I mentioned earlier that there are also cons to bathing your toddler daily, which includes drying out their skin and not being the best method for preventing lice. Check out my video to hear more on my thoughts about these! Tell me, moms and dads, how often do you bathe your little one? What tips and lessons have you learned to be most helpful? Share with all of us in a comment below! WATCH Baby Bathing Tips: How Often Should You Bathe Baby? http://cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/baby-bathing-tips-how-often-should-you-bathe-baby/ WATCH How I Bathe 5 Kids And Keep My Sanity: http://cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/how-i-bathe-five-kids-and-keep-my-sanity/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ____________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts CloudMom on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows

There's no greater pleasure than when your toddler starts talking, and no greater stress than when your toddler doesn't speak and you have no clue why. http://www.cloudmom.com Thanks for joining me today as I address a concern from a Facebook community mom, Moretlo Mokone, about when children should start to speak fluently and clearly. Is it normal for my 3-year-old to not be talking fluently? I'm no doctor, but I have tried to read up on the topic as much as I can so that I can try to help you. Luckily, I came across this piece from Parenting.com on appropriate language development for toddlers. Rest assured, parents—if your 3-year-old is not talking clearly yet, that's perfectly fine! According to the article, it's normal for 3-year-olds to speak in choppy, labored language. Somewhere between age 3 and 4, your child's thoughts should start to flow in more complete sentences with far less effort than was needed when they just turned 3. At this point, your child shouldn't have to stop and think about what they're saying; they should be able to tell simple stories. If your 3-year-old is still not talking and you are truly concerned, I'd say that a trip to the pediatrician would be the best course of action. You're pediatrician can refer you to a speech therapist who can evaluate and diagnose your child, and they can also offer the best course of treatment for your child (if there is in fact an issue). Many speech issues, when addressed early on, are completely treatable. The key is to intervene early on so that you can find the right method of treatment for your child. I hope this helps, Moretlo! Thanks so much for writing in, I know that this can cause a lot of stress with parents. Parents, did you have to deal with delayed speech with your toddlers? Did your child have a speech issue? If so, how did you fix the situation? Please share your experiences with us, I'm sure that your story would make me-as well as other parents-feel better! Parenting Article: http://www.parenting.com/article/baby-language-development Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ____________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts CloudMom on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows

I get a lot of questions about toddlers and pacifiers. For many parents of toddlers, getting rid of the pacifier is an epic event and they have to call in the binky fairy! http://www.cloudmom.com I received this question from mom Reagan about her 17-month-old who still uses a pacifier: "My husband wanted to get rid of it at 12 months because that is what pediatrician told us to do," she wrote, "but I thought that was too young. I don't want to cry it out, any suggestions or tips?" My tips on pacifier weaning include distracting your toddler, introducing another transitional object or lovey, or making an event of saying bye-bye to the binky. If any of you moms have been through this, please share your tips on weaning off the pacifier in the comments here: http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/how-to-wean-off-pacifier-tips-for-toddlers/ Other Parenting Advice Videos You May Like: - How to Wean Off Breastfeeding a Toddler http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/how-to-wean-off-breastfeeding-toddler/ - Bye Bye Bottle: How to Wean Baby to a Cup http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/bye-bye-bottle-how-to-wean-baby-to-a-cup/ - Don't Panic About Pacifiers and Breastfeeding http://www.cloudmom.com/melissas-daily-vlog/dont-panic-about-pacifiers-and-breastfeeding/ Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ___________________________________________________________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/110241344656824358909/posts Subscribe to CloudMom on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows?feature=mhee

Sunscreen isn't just for summer! It's so important to practice sun safety year-round. Check out Melissa's vlog here for her favorite sunscreens for kids! http://cloudmom.com Hello Moms! They say sunblock is a must for women, and not just during the summer! I actually use a lot of sunblock because I get color very easily, and I do try to use it year-round. Over the past years, I've experimented a lot and found a couple of brands I really like. Safe Sunscreens for Children Not all sunscreens are created equal. I chose these four brands because they are effective, don't leave white streaks, and go on weightlessly! For some thoughts on sunscreen and what's worked for us, watch today's vlog! Here are the links: Vanicream Sunscreen, Sensitive Skin, SPF 60, 4 Ounce La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid for Face, 1.7-Ounce Bottle La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen Milk ( For Face & Body) 1.5 Ounce Bottle Clarins Sun Care Cream High Protection SPF 30 for Sun-sensitive Skin, 4.4 Ounce Do you Moms use any of these? What are your tips on sun safety for kids? Comment here! Stay tuned for more how-to video guides for parents, from one mom to you! ________________________________________­____________ CloudMom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudmom CloudMom on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/CloudMom/ CloudMom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CloudMom CloudMom on Google+: https://plus.google.com/+CloudmomMelissa/ CloudMom on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CloudMomShows CloudMom on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/CloudMom_Melissa http://CloudMom.com