One of the biggest milestones that your child will acheive within the first 5 years of their life is the ability to use the potty.  This is a time of excitement, fear, and hesitation for both you and your child.  If you’ve been through this before or if you are just starting this journey for the first time, this question and answer post will help you out.

When should I start potty training?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.  Each child is different but it is suggested that you begin potty training between 18 months – 3 years of age.

How do I know if my child is ready to start potty training?

Rest assured, your child will let you know when they are ready to start potty training.   You just need to be aware of the signs which include tugging at their diaper when it is wet or full, staying dry for 2 or more hours at a time, when they have a pretty consistent schedule of bowel movements, and sometimes they will flat out ask.

Should I use Pull-ups?

Every parent has different feelings about using pull-ups.  Personally I don’t like them.  They are too much like a diaper and defeat the purpose.  I would recommend using regular “big kid” underwear–preferrably with something that they like on them (i.e. Dora, Cars, Princess, etc.)

I have been trying to potty train my child for months now and she is still having accidents.  What should I do?

Potty training doesn’t happen in one day–it can take months and even years for some kids.  You need to be patient and accidents are going to happen.  It is important to remember not to yell at your child when they do have an accident.  This is a new skill that they are learning and it will take time.  It’s a lot like learning to walk.  Your child will fall several times while trying to walk and you wouldn’t think of scolding them for that would you?  Of course not!  Think of potty training in the same way.

Read more on this topic by visiting: 10 Tips for Successful Potty Training.

One of the most common questions I get from people when they learn that I have 5 kids is: “How do you do it??”  Surprisingly, it is very easy.   Granted my house can be loud at times and it can be chaotic, but for the most part my house is peaceful and things run very smoothly.  I am going to share the secret of my sanity with you…

ROUTINES!!

Yup…it’s that simple.  I have a very strict routine in place for my children.  They know what to expect when they get up in the morning til they go to bed at night and they know what is expected of them each day.  Let me explain…

I have a rule chart posted in the living room for each of my kids and when they complete each task, they receive a sticker.  If they get all spots filled with a sticker they get a special treat at the end of the day.  By doing this it establishes a routine for them.  They get up in the morning they make their bed; they get a sticker.  They eat breakfast; they get a sticker.  Brush their teeth; they get a sticker.  They get dressed; they get a sticker. I’m sure you get the gist of how this goes.  

Not only does this make things run very smoothly it helps with their behavior because as silly as it seems: they want those stickers  : )

I know that life is unpredictable and things do come up but for the most part, my routines work.   When something does come up or when I know that the following day isn’t going to go according to the normal routine I sit down with my kids and I explain to them what we will be doing and how things will go.  Giving them a step-by-step itinerary of what is going on really helps things run more smoothly and it gives my kids a sense of control.  

To read more of my tips on how I manage 5 kids check out my article: Managing Multiple Children – The 3R1D Method.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was getting married to the love of my life in August of 2008.  Well it is now July of 2009 and I am fast approaching my one year wedding anniversary.  Marriage has been every thing I imagined it would be and more.  However, that is another post for another time.  I would like to talk about my wedding a little bit and how I pulled it off on a very tight budget.

First things first, we had a backyard wedding.  We rented a tent with tables and chairs that we literally set up in our backyard.  Of course I took the time to decorate everything so that it looked really nice.  A majority of the decorations were purchased at my local Dollar Tree Store where everything is only $1.00 — You can’t get cheaper than that!

Secondly, I made all my bridal flowers.  From the bouquets that my bridesmaids carried to the boutinneers that the men  wore to the table centerpieces.   They were all made from fake flowers and made by my own two hands.  Again most of the flowers and supplies were bought at my local dollar store.  For a step-by-step guide on how to make your own bridal flower arrangements you can read it here: How to Make Cheap Bridal Flower Arrangments.

Third, I made all of the food for the reception.  I bought in bulk from my local member’s only warehouse and prepared a majority of the food the day before the wedding.  When it was time to serve the food my parents and a few of my aunts were more than willing to set it up so that I could mingle with my guests.  They were also eager to do the clean-up for me as well.

Fourth and probably the most important was my wedding dress.  This can be a very costly expensive for a bride.  They are not cheap considering you will only wear it for a few hours one day!  One option is to make your own dress–this wasn’t an option for me because I can’t even sew a button let alone make a whole dress.  So I did the next best, cheapest thing:  I bought my dress from a consignment shop.  It cost me $99!  I then took it to a seamstres had it altered to fit my body and changed a few things to make it my own.  That cost me $50.

Bottom line:  My entire wedding cost me approximately $2,000.  Not bad considering some people spend that on the food alone  : )

I have included some picture of my wedding below so you can see exactly what I did and how nice it was despite the low cost of everything.

This is the tent we rented and decorated with balloons and flowers. Simple yet pretty!

Taking our vows.

Me, my mom, and my daughters: Sierra, Shailynn, and Savannah holding the bouquets I made.

Here is me in my simple and cheap wedding dress with my daughter Savannah.

These are the tables that we rented and decorated with simple purple tablecloths and a vase of fake flowers.

Hi!  My name is Kerry.  I am 29 years old and I have 5 kids.  Sierra (9), Shailynn (7), Jacob (5), Savannah (3), and Kayleigh (3 months).  I do not work outside of the home and that is why I am here….hoping to earn a little extra cash. 

I am engaged to be married to the love of my love, and the father of my children, John, in August of this year.  I can’t wait.

 Stay tuned for more about my family and what it is like raising 5 kids….