Blog Posts by MomFinds

Do you ever talk to your child and sometimes feel like you've just wasted your breath? I do. And no, it's not because my kid is a complete moron. The opposite actually. She amazes me with her vocabulary and communication skills, that's it's easy to forget I'm talking to kid and I grossly over-estimate what she can comprehend.

So for all you moms with vocal toddlers, learn from me. Avoid some serious frustration by staying away from these questions for a few years... And some, forever.

10 Questions You Should Never Ask Your Toddler:

1. Are you sure? No, your toddler is not sure. He may be sure he doesn't want to do what you're asking, but that doesn't mean he's sure the task is unnecessary. For example...

2. Do you have to go to the bathroom? 90% of the time the answer is yes. And even if your son (or daughter) doesn't realize he has to go, he will probably go once you sit him on the toilet. So don't ask whether or not he's sure. Don't even ask if he has to go.

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I was feeling a little nostalgic this weekend, so I decided to look at pictures from when I was pregnant and when my daughter was first born. My daughter is already fascinated with babies, as we were looking at the pics, I was also explaining how she was in my belly when she was a baby. We were having a nice walk down memory lane, when...

I accidentally opened a picture of me in labor. Like legs spread open, head coming out. Yikes! It's not like giving birth in front of an audience like this lady, but still!

Before I could close the picture, my little girl saw it and was immediately in amazement. She was pointing, asking a million questions and begging to see more pictures... of her coming out of my "belly."

Because she'd already seen the one, I decided I would attempt to explain the process to her. Picture by picture, I showed her me in the hospital, me pushing her out and her as a minutes-old baby. It was emotional for me to relive that day, but it was also quite an

Read More »from Wait, You Weren't Supposed to See That...

Yesterday I mentioned that I'm considering sending my little girl to a fancy (read: expensive) preschool next year. Before she gets there, however, we have a few things to work on.

I don't think she's any grosser than other children her age, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with her picking her nose... and rubbing it on her clothes. I've got 10 months to kick that and 10 of her other bizarre--and sometimes disgusting--habits.

1. She bites her toenails. I got her to stop biting her fingernails, but she's turned her attention to her feet instead. What possesses a child to take off his/her shoes and socks and start chomping on toenails is beyond my comprehension. I just know it has to stop. ASAP.

2. She likes to lick. People. I've mentioned this before, but I think it's getting worse instead of better because not only does she like to lick me, she's starting to lick herself. Apparently, we both taste like chocolate...

3. She likes to get naked. Somehow "take your sweater

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My daughter turns 4 next year, which is when preschool officially begins here in N.Y.C. As is common here in the city, I've already started applying for preschool programs for her to attend in 2012. Not only are lots of the applications due almost a full year before the school year begins, but there are interviews, too. Yup, my 3-year-old has to be interviewed for preschool.

Believe it or not, none of this has phased me so far. I want a school to accept my daughter for who she is so as bizarre as it sounds, I actually don't mind the interview. What is hanging me up, however, is the tuition. We all know childcare is wildly expensive, but these preschools are even crazier. I'm talking $35,000 per school year. And that's only for a 4-year-old. The older the kid gets, the more expensive the tuition becomes. And $35K is actually the cheapest school I'm looking at. The others go all the way up to $40,000.

Some schools do offer financial aid, but not until kindergarten. That means

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rent a grandma

You're probably laughing, but I'm serious. There is an actual company that only hires out grandmas--women over the age of 50--to parents looking for a sitter. Kind of weird, but totally genius, right?

Because grandmas tend to be way more trustworthy than that teenager from the up street, they make the perfect sitters. There's a good chance you won't catch them texting or letting your kid do anything too dangerous.

And according to the site, the granny nannies won't just watch children. They cook, clean and help organize birthday parties, too.

Really, the only downside I could see to hiring a granny nanny is she might have trouble keeping up with particularly active kids. But if 60-year-olds can have babies now, certainly they can work as babysitters.

Learn more at rentagrandma.com.

Not so sure about the granny nannies? Check out Sittercity instead.

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I will never be Martha Stewart. Nope, my house will never be spotless or featured in a magazine spread, and I will never spend hours baking things from scratch (that's what boxed cake is for) or MacGyvering crafts out of shoe laces.

But you know what? I am totally fine with that. Being less than perfect and having a house that looks like people actually live in it gives me more time to spend on the really important things in life. Like sitting on the floor and playing with my kids, taking them on little trips near and far, and basically just enjoying them while they still want to hang out with me.

So for all you moms out there who aren't perfect, read these 10 confessions from a semi-slacker mom (I have my good days, too), and know that you're not alone. And if I left anything out, let me know.

1. For bake sales and pot lucks, I've purchased store-bought treats, taken them out of the packaging and then re-wrapped them to look like they came out of my kitchen.

2. When

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All the babyproofing books tell you about covering the sockets, eliminating sharp edges and corners and putting safety latches on the cabinets, but that's only half the battle. Things definitely change when your baby becomes mobile, but they get even crazier when your mobile baby becomes a fully functioning toddler. I'm not sure if there is a complete toddler proofing book, but here are 10 things that should be in it.

1. Markers. Because walls aren't the only white things they'll destroy. Do you know how hard it is to get marker off teeth?

2. Toilet paper. Even though I've explained to my daughter she only needs 2 squares, she insists on unraveling at least half of the friggin' toilet paper roll every time she uses the bathroom. It baffles me why I need to buy toilet paper every week when there are only 2 of us using it.

3. A belt. After reading Farah's scary encounter, I'm hyper-sensitive about not leaving belts laying around anymore.

4. Mommy's nice shoes.

Read More »from 10 Things You Shouldn't Leave Your Toddler Alone With...

It's not bullying. Or sex. Or even drugs. Believe it or not, the one thing most parents have the hardest time talking to their kids about is... weight.

According to a new study, more than 20% of parents say they are uncomfortable talking about the risks of being overweight with their kids. In comparison, just 12% say they're uncomfortable with the birds and the bees talk and only 5% say they are uncomfortable discussing the dangers of drinking.

Why the hesitation? Well for one, I think because so many of us are overweight. In 2010, over 60% of American adults were considered overweight. Pretty hard to talk to your little one about staying in shape when you're packing on the pounds yourself.

But I also think parents are uncomfortable talking to their kids about being overweight because deep down, they know it's mostly their own fault if their kid becomes overweight. Until your child is a teenager, the parent is the one who provides 90% of the food consumed by the

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