Latest news with #pottytraining
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Ms. Rachel Opens up About Life With a New Baby ... And 'Potty Talk'
Ms. Rachel's newborn daughter Susannah, now 3 months old, is one lucky little lady. Instead of watching "Ms. Rachel" episodes on YouTube or Netflix, she gets a private show. "I had (Susannah) in front of me, and I was like, 'I want to sing her a song. Hmm, what should I sing?' And then I was like, 'Wait, this is my area,'" Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, tells "I've been doing full episodes for her, just as myself!" Rachel and her husband, Aron Accurso announced the newest addition to her family on April 8. The couple and their 7-year-old son Thomas, whose speech delay as a young child was the catalyst for Accurso's YouTube empire, have been in baby heaven ... when Susannah gives them a good stretch of sleep, that is. "She's such a smiley, happy baby," Rachel shares. "Thomas is even changing diapers sometimes — except for no poopy ones. He's given her a bottle, he's burped her. He's just the sweetest with her." Though Rachel officially hung up her overalls and headband for maternity leave, she and her husband have been working on a very special episode on their most-requested topic: potty training. "I was thinking back to my own potty training journey with Thomas, and it's really refreshing to bring some joy to it, and some fun and some dancing and singing," Rachel says. "I joke that it's like a Broadway show about poop and pee." The pair released one of the songs on Instagram and we must warn you: it's a BOP. The full episode is available on YouTube now. "We brought in several Broadway friends to perform in the show and also help with arranging and the underscoring and live playing," says Aron, who has held multiple roles in the orchestras of Broadway shows. They filmed the episode in January, before the new baby arrived. "There's a lot of beautiful musical moments in the episode," he adds. As anyone who has ever potty trained a child will tell you, the process could use some light-hearted beauty. "As parents, we we want to succeed," says Rachel, "so we probably put too much pressure on ourselves." They hope this effort and the accompanying guide will eliminate some of that pressure. The episode doesn't necessarily adhere to one type of potty training method. Rachel gives a lot of grace to parents who can't take off three days of work in a row to potty train, or are raising kids on their own. "I grew up with a single mom, so I always kind of have that perspective," she says. Rachel and Aron were side by side when they potty trained Thomas, as they are with all things. In fact, Rachel takes a beat in the interview to "convey how equal our partnership is." She adds earnestly, "Often, you know, I'm kind of the face of things, and Aron just worked so hard and made such brilliant music, and he's been at the computer so much, because I'm on maternity leave." Aron tries to stop his wife but reluctantly lets her complete her thought. Rachel and Aron seem to be each other's number one fans. The pair joke that now that they have a song for kids called, "I Listen to My Body," they should make one for grownups about listening to our bodies and going to sleep when we're tired rather than doomscrolling. Rachel laughs, "We're telling the kids to listen to their bodies, but sometimes as adults — " "We need that reminder, too," says Aron. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
When my teen nephew moved in with us, I naively thought it'd be easier to parent him than my toddlers. I was wrong.
I was done having kids, knowing that I only wanted two. Then, in 2020, my 15-year-old nephew moved in with us. I was naive to think that parenting a teenager would be easier than parenting a toddler. When my son was born on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I was done having kids. First, we had a daughter, and then our son joined the mix, and I knew two was enough. But as any parenting story goes, things didn't turn out like I planned. Three years later, I was surprised to find myself nesting again. This time, I traded a crib for a desk. When I prepared for my teenage nephew's arrival, I envisioned him hunched over the wooden table, cramming for a calculus test or writing his college entrance essays. This vision actually did come true — he was studious and had a pretty steady head on his shoulders when he arrived on our doorstep. But much of what I had planned for him was different from the detailed picture I had painted in my head. When my 15-year-old nephew moved in with us in 2020, although I didn't know it at the time, I was graced with the gift of ignorance. I was raising little ones, 6 and 3, fully immersed in potty training, sleep regressions, and finger foods stuffed in unfortunate crevices all around my home. I was in the messy littles era, a physically taxing period of parenting. Maybe I was dumb and naive to think that parenting a teenager wouldn't be much harder than handling little children, but I like to think that going in blind is what helped me raise him through his high school years. My nephew's parents deal with addiction, and when we heard he moved out of his mom's house and bounced between extended family's places, my husband and I wanted to help. We offered a safe and dependable place for him to finish growing up, two hours away from his hometown. He left everything he knew, including his little half-sister, behind with his mom and her boyfriend and started new with us. But, really, we started anew with each other. In those next three years together, we'd learn what raising a teenager would mean. We quickly learned to often switch our mindsets and come at each obstacle from scratch. I had to learn to let go. I had to learn to trust that he had to go out and make mistakes. I had to realize that much of that foundation built in his earlier years is already there. I can't change what happened in his past, but can I guide him on what to do with the cards he was dealt? It was about witnessing what he can do with it, without us. I learned to be there for when the bones and drywall are nailed in, and let him decide where everything goes, with smart boundaries. I often bounced between stern and serious or goofy auntie but I always made it a priority to make boundaries clear because I learned that these child minds in adult bodies need them, even though they are pissed at you for making them in the moment. Maybe it was easier for me to look at it that way — after all, he was not my son, we did not start together from the very beginning in those messy, hands-on days. Some can say I wasn't as invested, but maybe that's what worked for us. I could better remove that layer of overprotection mode, I feel, when I'm with my own kids. Because he wasn't my son, I could change gears more easily. I am not a risk taker, but this guardian dynamic made me operate more like a startup, shifting with changing market conditions. It meant I made many calls to close family and friends who've dealt with teens and asked them for their advice. I was learning as I went, and when things got really hard, I relied on the memory of what it was like to be a teenager. We dealt with it all with him: moving in, dealing with his parents, friends, girls, sex, curfews, drugs, alcohol, getting a license, driving, grades, sports, jobs at home, jobs out of the house, choosing colleges, applying to colleges, and, ultimately, moving him out and sending him off to the dorms into the next chapter of his life. I made many mistakes along the way, like losing my cool or trying to micromanage bits where I did not belong. While I dwelled on some issues for too long, I tried to move on and reconnect when I could. I made an effort to make special outings, just me and my nephew. It was always simple; I fed him his favorite foods, took him out thrifting, or did stuff he loves just so he knows I care. After all, it's not about me. Will someone remind me of this when my kids become teenagers in a few years? Thanks. Read the original article on Business Insider
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
‘Need one' parents say as they race to local supermarket to buy £30 toddler essential that's slashed to less than £12
THERE'S nothing worse than trying to toilet train a toddler when you're out and they suddenly declare 'I need a wee!'. But a bargain buy can help diffuse such a stressful situation, as it means you have a loo to hand 24/7. 3 3 3 It's the My Carry Potty, which usually retails for around £30, and claims to be lightweight, leakproof, and odour-free. So it's no wonder that parents are racing to Asda, after spotting the essential purchase for just £11.98. And chuffed shoppers took to the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook to share their epic find. "£ 11.98 carry potty, Asda!" one wrote alongside a snap of the reduced potties on the shelves. "They are usually £28-30 everywhere!" In fact, on the My Carry Potty website, the exact same penguin design is on sale for £29.99. There's also a Finding Nemo option, which has also been reduced to £11.98. And people were quick to take to the comments section to weigh in on the find, with one writing: "Need to get one of them while they are so cheap for when we go away!" "That's good isn't it, they love Nemo too," another added. "A little early but a bargain to put away for when he's ready," a third commented. I potty trained my toddler in just 72 hours - it's so easy with my 3P rule, anyone can do it While someone else wrote: "Our best buy when hallie was toilet training. "Still comes in handy now on long journeys." "I paid £30 each for my twins' ones!" another exclaimed. "This is such a bargain!!!" someone else wrote. "Paid £24 for mine on sale! Couldn't be without it though." "They're so good. My twins use them for days out," another added. NHS potty training timeline THE NHS says most children are potty trained between two and two-and-a-half, saying: "Remember, you cannot force your child to use a potty. "If they're not ready, you will not be able to make them use it. "Most parents start thinking about potty training when their child is between 2 and 2 and a half, but there's no perfect time." By age 1, most babies have stopped doing poos at night By age 2, some children will be dry during the day, but this is still quite early By age 3, 9 out of 10 children are dry most days – even then, all children have the odd accident, especially when they're excited, upset or absorbed in something else By age 4, most children are reliably dry during the day "I keep one in the car all the time for them." "These are amazing for potty training," someone else said. "Brought one for £23 a week ago, returned it & brought one today for £11," another laughed. "Getting prepared for the potty training to come!" Sheree was another lucky mum who managed to pick up one of the reduced potties, and also took to the Facebook group to share it with other parents. "My Carry Potty, £11.98 in Asda at Lowestoft today," she wrote. "Not sure if it's this price everywhere but very good buy!"
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
My baby was potty-trained when she was three weeks old – people are stunned but method is a LOT easier than you think
MANY parents will know the struggle of potty training kids and many painstaking months trying to get them into a routine. However, one mum has claimed she managed to crack it when her baby Sequoia was just three weeks old - and she insists it's 'easier than you think.' Chloe, who shares her motherhood experiences on her @ page, said: 'What if I told you my baby has been potty trained since three weeks old? 'It's actually a LOT easier than you think. 'I couldn't believe how quickly I was able to tune into her body language and cues — and start catching nearly all of her pees and poops in the potty. 'Contrary to popular belief, babies do communicate when they need to go. 'We just usually don't recognise it — or label it as them being 'fussy'.' Chloe swears by doing Elimination Communication (EC) with her daughter, which is where parents watch out for signals that their child needs to go to the toilet and give them the chance to use the potty, rather than get used to doing it in their nappy. The method, favoured by comedian Katherine Ryan, sees the child learn how to use a potty from an extremely early age. Chloe added: 'I love it not just because we only go through maybe two diapers a day… but because it's strengthened our bond and deepened my intuitive connection with her. 'Fun fact: newborns *do* have a fully developed bladder sphincter. 'They can hold their pee — and they don't actually want to soil themselves.' You have 20/20 vision if you can spot the 'silly emoji' in the potty training illusion in less than 10 seconds The mum, who has racked up over 11,000 followers, shared exactly how she managed to potty train her daughter at three weeks. She explained: 'I always potty her right after waking up in the morning or after naps. She *always* pees or poops within 5 minutes of waking. 'She usually also goes 5–10 minutes after feeding. 'Outside of those times, she naturally pees about every 45 minutes — I just watch for her patterns. 'I use sound cues: 'pssssssst' for pee and a fart sound for poop. She now associates those with releasing. 2 'After she goes, I celebrate her with a big 'yayyy good job!' — and she lights up. She genuinely loves it. 'Sometimes we sit for 2–3 minutes while she waits for the poop or pee to come. Patience is everything.' The mum influencer added that they don't always catch every elimination 'especially in the beginning.' She concluded: 'It's not about perfection, it's about consistency.' Many people were quick to chime in with their views, with one saying: 'Great job mama'. Another added: 'This is amazing!' A third commented: 'I'm really wanting to try this, but I'm worried about how much time it takes up.' NHS potty training timeline THE NHS says most children are potty trained between two and two-and-a-half, saying: "Remember, you cannot force your child to use a potty. "If they're not ready, you will not be able to make them use it. "Most parents start thinking about potty training when their child is between 2 and 2 and a half, but there's no perfect time." By age 1, most babies have stopped doing poos at night By age 2, some children will be dry during the day, but this is still quite early By age 3, 9 out of 10 children are dry most days – even then, all children have the odd accident, especially when they're excited, upset or absorbed in something else By age 4, most children are reliably dry during the day
