Is it Time to Move Your Toddler From a Crib to a Bed?

While statistics show that nearly 75% of children under the age of 2 sleep in a crib, by the time that child is 3 years old, the percentage drops to around 35%.

It seems that most children are ready to move to a big-kid (or at least a toddler) bed by the age of 3. But how do you know your little one is ready?

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What do you think? When did you move your child? Was there a reason? Would you do anything differently if you were able to do it over again? Let your fellow baby blog addicts know in the comments here.

Potty Training Using Baby Signs

The people behind the Baby Signs program are promoting the use of baby sign language to encourage earlier potty training, which saves money for parents and reduces problems for toddlers.

I was a big fan of using sing language with my son when he was a baby and was amazed at how quickly he caught onto it. It was a great communication tool for us before he used words to communicate. However, he didn't potty train until he was using words to communicate, so we never tried sign language to encourage earlier potty training.

Have any of you used sign lauguage to encourage earlier potty training with your child?

Not Yet a Toddler, But She Can Read!

It’s hard to imagine, but at just 17 months Elizabeth Barrett is already reading. She showed her amazing talent on TODAY this morning.

She read her first word when she was just 13 months old. The word was “corn,” and little Elizabeth read it on a cereal box at the supermarket. There was no picture of corn to give her a clue. She just pointed at the word and read it. She also signed the word in sign language.

"On The Go" Potty Seat

The PRIMO Folding Potty Seat with Handles is an "on the go" potty seat. It's a folding potty seat with handles making it possible for childen to use any public toilet as if they were at home! It folds easily into a compact item that slips it into a sealing storage bag and right into your diaper bag or purse.

With so much traveling over the holidays, this seems like a great product to have. If your child has just potty trained and is used to going on a smaller potty or seat, this will be a lifesaver for your toddler when visiting relatives or having to potty at the airport or restaurants.

Thanks for introducing us to this nifty product, Cindy.

Potty Training

My son is almost two and has shown some interest in the potty. We already have one of those seats that fits on top of a real toilet, but I'm considering getting a small training potty for him.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what works best?

I've heard that the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Potty can be overwhelming, but I've also heard of some kids who love it. What about the more streamlined Baby Bjorn Potty?

Please share your suggestions on our forum or in the comments section on this post.

Brushing Toddlers' Teeth

Does anyone have suggestions for brushing toddlers' teeth when they want nothing to do with it?

I've heard of using a kids battery toothbrush like this one. Any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments section or on our forum.

Appearance of Baby Teeth

According to DrGreene.com, many parents worry about the timing of the appearance of their children's teeth. While the average time for the appearance of the first teeth is between five and seven months of age, there is a wide normal variation of timing. The teeth might come in as early as one month of age, or they might wait until a child is almost one-and-a-half-years old.

The following chart outlines the normal ranges for teeth to erupt:


Looks like our 20-month-old son Jack is right on target with his central and later incisors, cuspids and first molars. Can't wait for his second molars to come in. I'm sure those are lots of fun.

To discuss appearance of teeth or other baby and toddler milestones, go to the Milestones section on our forum.