Wins, Woes, and Poop

This week, three more brave parents share their wins and woes with us — plus a question about poop.

And remember: you are doing a great job, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Fresh air

—Peed Out

Last year on a deserted beach we let our 3-year-old pee outside. Apparently, she associates warm weather with getting to pee outside, as now she is attempting to again. Usually, it is in our backyard and we can stop her quickly and bring her into the house. Last week, she tried outside of a restaurant on the walk home from school. She cried the whole way home that I wouldn’t let her pee outside.

Preschool pains

—A Boy Mom

My 4-year-old son is privileged enough to go to a wonderful high-quality, play-based preschool. Every toy, experience, and activity you could imagine preschoolers loving is there at his fingertips and he HATES it. He hasn’t bonded with his teacher or classmates and constantly asks when it will be the weekend. Lately, he’s also started acting out more at school and getting in trouble. It makes me sad that he doesn’t like school, and I wish I could help him more, but aside from pulling him out altogether, I’m at a loss.

A to Zzzz

—Sleepy Mom

My 4-month-old has trouble getting to sleep. Maybe trouble is an understatement — we’re talking 90 minutes of crying it out before this kid will fall asleep. Last week we switched up the bedtime routine to include only sing-song, rhythmic books (think Green Eggs and Ham, Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby, etc.) and it worked like a charm! His eyes are closing on the last page and he sleeps like, for lack of a better word, a baby!